Monoclonal antibodies for treatment of cancer

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides antibodies useful as therapeutics for treating and/or preventing diseases associated with cells expressing GT468, including tumor-related diseases such as breast Cancer, lung Cancer, gastric Cancer, ovarian Cancer, hepatocellular Cancer, colon Cancer, pancreatic Cancer, esophageal Cancer, head &amp; neck Cancer, kidney Cancer, in particular renal cell Carcinoma, prostate Cancer, liver cancer, melanoma, sarcoma, myeloma, neuroblastoma, placental choriocarcinoma, cervical cancer, and thyroid Cancer, and the metastatic forms thereof. In one embodiment, the rumor disease is metastatic cancer in the lung.

Antibody based cancer therapies have been successfully introduced intothe clinic and have emerged as the most promising therapeutics inoncology over the last decade.

Antibody-based therapies for cancer have the potential of higherspecificity and lower side effect profile as compared to conventionaldrugs. The reason is a precise distinction between normal and neoplasticcells by antibodies and the fact that their mode of action relies onless toxic immunological anti-tumor mechanisms, such as complementactivation and recruitment of cytotoxic immune cells.

Targets for antibody-based therapies need to have particular qualities,which form the basis for proper discrimination between normal andneoplastic cells. Obviously, a target with either exclusive restrictionto tumor cells and entirely undetectable on normal tissues is ideal forthe development of efficient and safe antibody therapeutics. In anotheraspect, a high-level overexpression may be the basis for the therapeuticwindow and low side effects exemplified by the human epidermal growthfactor receptor type 2 (HER-2), which as a result of gene amplificationis a good target for the antibody trastuzumab (Herceptin).

Other targets for antibodies which are either already approved or inclinical development for tumor therapy have distinct qualities, whichare not based on a numeric overexpression of target molecules on tumorcells. In the case of antibodies to the proteoglycan MUC-1, a peptiderepeat epitope in the backbone of the target is underglycosylated intumor cells and thus altered to its normal counterpart. In the case ofantibodies to CD20 (rituximab), CD52 (Campath-1H) and CD22(epratuzumab), antibody targets have comparable expression levels ontumor cells and normal lymphocytes. Here, the ablation of normal cellsby the antibody is tolerable since target-negative stem cells restorethe normal lymphocyte repertoire. Other examples of differentialaccessibility of antibody targets are carcinoembryonal antigen (CEA) andcarboanhydrase IX (CA9). Both antigens are expressed on normal epitheliaof colon and kidney, respectively. However, radioactively labeledimaging antibodies do distinguish well between tumor and normal tissue,and cytotoxic antibodies are well tolerated. This is most likely due toa restricted expression of CA9 and CEA on the luminal side of normalepithelial tissue where IgG antibodies do not have access. Also antigenepithelial cell adhesion molecule (Ep-CAM) belongs to this category. Asa homotypic cell adhesion molecule for epithelial cells it is localizedin the intercellular space. Intriguingly, whereas high-affinityanti-Ep-CAM antibodies are very toxic, intermediate-affinity antibodiesare well tolerated. This suggests accessibility of the Ep-CAM target onnormal cells but also indicates that kinetics of antibody binding mayopen a therapeutic window.

Eight antibodies have been approved for treatment of neoplasticdiseases, most of them, however in lymphoma and leukemia (Adams, G. P. &Weiner, L. M. (2005) Nat. Biotechnol. 23, 1147-1157). Only three mAbs,namely Herceptin, Avastin and Erbitux, address solid cancer types, whichaccount for more than 90% of cancer-evoked mortality. The substantialremaining medical need, the significant clinical benefit approved mAbshave already provided and their considerable commercial successaltogether motivated a wave of innovative approaches standing poised notonly to develop antibody-based therapies for extended groups of patientsbut also to improve their efficacy (Brekke, O. H. & Sandlie, I. (2003)Nat. Rev. Drug Discov. 2, 52-62; Carter, P. (2001) Nat. Rev. Cancer 1,118-129).

One of the challenges to be mastered for the advent of the nextgeneration of upgraded antibody-based cancer therapeutics is theselection of appropriate target molecules, which is the key for afavorable toxicity/efficacy profile.

Current antibodies available for the treatment of solid cancers owing tothe expression of their targets on normal tissues do not sufficientlyexploit the cumulative power of action modes embedded in antibodymolecules. Her2/neu, for instance, the target of Herceptin, is expressedin many normal human tissues including heart muscle (Crone, S. A., Zhao,Y. Y., Fan, L., Gu, Y., Minamisawa, S., Liu, Y., Peterson, K. L., Chen,J., Kahn, R., Condorelli, G. et al. (2002) Nat. Med. 8, 459-465). As aconsequence, Herceptin was designed with a reduced immunological potencyand cannot be given at the maximum effective dose, because of otherwiseunacceptable toxicity. This “blunting of a potentially sharp knife”limits the therapeutic efficacy of Herceptin.

In addition to lack of expression in toxicity relevant normal tissues,robust and high expression on the surface of tumor cells and exhibitionof a tumor promoting function are desirable characteristics for an idealantibody target (Houshmand, P. & Zlotnik, A. (2003) Curr. Opin. CellBiol. 15, 640-644).

Using an integrated data mining and experimental validation approach forthe discovery of new targets for antibody therapy of cancer weidentified GT468. GT468 is a placenta-specific gene which is frequentlyaberrantly activated and highly expressed in a variety of tumor types,in particular breast cancer. RNAi-mediated silencing of GT468 in MCF-7and BT-549 breast cancer cells profoundly impairs motility, migrationand invasion and induces a G1/S cell cycle block with nearly completeabrogation of proliferation. Knock down of GT468 is associated withdecreased expression of cyclin D1 and reduced phosphorylation of AKTkinase. Moreover, GT468 is localized on the surface of cancer cells andis accessible for antibodies which antagonize biological functions ofthis molecule.

GT468 has several properties that make it a highly attractive target fortherapeutic antibodies. Being a differentiation antigen of a celllineage which appears in the human body only in such an exceptionalstate as pregnancy, it is as absent from healthy toxicity-relevanttissues as a self-antigen can possibly be. Its high prevalence in avariety of tumor entities would make a broad number of patients eligiblefor treatment with GT468 targeting therapies. In the case of breastcancer for example, 82% of patients carry this target. Her2/neu, incontrast, the target of Herceptin, the only mAb available for treatmentof this cancer type, is overexpressed in only 20-25% of breast cancerpatients (Slamon, D. J., Godolphin, W., Jones, L. A., Holt, J. A., Wong,S. G., Keith, D. E., Levin, W. J., Stuart, S. G., Udove, J., Ullrich, A.et al. (1989) Science 244, 707-712). For lung cancer and for gastriccancer, in which GT468 is expressed in 42 and 58% of the casesrespectively, there is no approved mAB treatment so far owing to thelack of appropriate targets in these cancer types.

GT468 is drugable by antibodies on living cells and such antibodies mayprecipitate anti-tumoral effects such as proliferation inhibition. GT468is involved not only in proliferation but also cell motility, migrationand invasion. Most interestingly, all these attributes do not onlysubstantially contribute to the tumor phenotype but are also inherentproperties of the human trophoblast, which physiological characteristicsare to grow fast and to invade efficiently into uterus tissue. It isexpected that mAbs against GT468 can be engineered, which intervene withall these functions at once on top of their potential to mediate immuneeffector functions such as ADCC and CDC.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally provides antibodies useful astherapeutics for treating and/or preventing diseases associated withcells expressing GT468 and/or being characterized by association ofGT468 with their cell surface, including tumor-related diseases such ascancer, in particular breast cancer, lung cancer, gastric cancer,ovarian cancer, hepatocellular cancer, colon cancer, pancreatic cancer,esophageal cancer, head & neck cancer, kidney cancer, in particularrenal cell carcinoma, prostate cancer, liver cancer, melanoma, sarcoma,myeloma, neuroblastoma, placental choriocarcinoma, cervical cancer, andthyroid cancer, and the metastatic forms thereof. In one embodiment, thecancer disease is metastatic cancer in the lung.

In one aspect the invention relates to an antibody having the ability ofbinding to GT468. The antibodies described herein preferably areisolated monoclonal antibodies which specifically bind to an epitopepresent on GT468, preferably an epitope located within the extracellulardomain of GT468, more preferably SEQ ID NOs: 3-10 and 35-82. Preferably,the antibody has the ability of binding to GT468 located on the cellsurface and preferably binds to one or more epitopes located within theextracellular domain of GT468, preferably within amino acid residues23-212 of GT468, and most preferably binds to an epitope located withinone of the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID Nos: 3-10 and 35-82. In onepreferred embodiment, the antibody is specific for one or more of theamino acid sequences of SEQ ID Nos: 3-10 and 35-82. In variousembodiments, the antibody has the ability of binding to a peptidecomprising amino acids 29 to 119, preferably amino acids 29 to 212 andmore preferably amino acids 23 to 212 of SEQ ID NO: 2.

Monoclonal antibodies encompassed by the present invention include IgA,IgG1-4, IgE, IgM, and IgD antibodies. In one embodiment the antibody isan IgG1 antibody, more particularly an IgG1, kappa or IgG1, lambdaisotype. In another embodiment the antibody is an IgG3 antibody, moreparticularly an IgG3, kappa or IgG3, lambda isotype. In yet anotherembodiment the antibody is an IgG4 antibody, more particularly an IgG4,kappa or IgG4, lambda isotype. In still another embodiment the antibodyis an IgA1 or IgA2 antibody. In still another embodiment the antibody isan IgM antibody.

In one embodiment, the antibody of the invention binds to one or more ofthe peptides according to SEQ ID Nos: 75-79. In one embodiment, theantibody binds to the peptide according to SEQ ID No: 75 and/or thepeptide according to SEQ ID No: 76, more preferably binds to the peptideaccording to SEQ ID No: 75 and the peptide according to SEQ ID No: 76.In another embodiment, the antibody binds to the peptide according toSEQ ID No: 77 and/or the peptide according to SEQ ID No: 78 and/or thepeptide according to SEQ ID No: 79, more preferably binds to the peptideaccording to SEQ ID No: 78 and the peptide according to SEQ ID No: 79 orbinds to the peptide according to SEQ ID No: 77, the peptide accordingto SEQ ID No: 78 and the peptide according to SEQ ID No: 79.

In one embodiment, the antibody of the invention is obtained using thepeptide according to SEQ ID No: 4 or the peptide according to SEQ ID No:80 for immunization. In another embodiment, the antibody of theinvention is obtained using the peptide according to SEQ ID No: 6 or thepeptide according to SEQ ID No: 81 for immunization. Preferably, theantibody of the invention binds to one or more of said peptides.

In a further embodiment, the antibody which binds to the peptideaccording to SEQ ID No: 75 and/or the peptide according to SEQ ID No:76, more preferably binds to the peptide according to SEQ ID No: 75 andthe peptide according to SEQ ID No: 76 is obtained using the peptideaccording to SEQ ID No: 4 or the peptide according to SEQ ID No: 80 forimmunization. In another embodiment, the antibody which binds to thepeptide according to SEQ ID No: 77 and/or the peptide according to SEQID No: 78 and/or the peptide according to SEQ ID No: 79, more preferablybinds to the peptide according to SEQ ID No: 78 and the peptideaccording to SEQ ID No: 79 or binds to the peptide according to SEQ IDNo: 77, the peptide according to SEQ ID No: 78 and the peptide accordingto SEQ ID No: 79 is obtained using the peptide according to SEQ ID No: 6or the peptide according to SEQ ID No: 81 for immunization.

In one embodiment, the antibody of the invention binds to one or more ofthe peptides according to SEQ ID Nos: 61-66. In one embodiment, theantibody binds to the peptide according to SEQ ID No: 61 and/or thepeptide according to SEQ ID No: 62, more preferably binds to the peptideaccording to SEQ ID No: 61 and the peptide according to SEQ ID No: 62.In another embodiment, the antibody binds to the peptide according toSEQ ID No: 64 and/or the peptide according to SEQ ID No: 65, morepreferably binds to the peptide according to SEQ ID No: 64 and thepeptide according to SEQ ID No: 65. In another embodiment, the antibodybinds to the peptide according to SEQ ID No: 65 and/or the peptideaccording to SEQ ID No: 66, more preferably binds to the peptideaccording to SEQ ID No: 65 and the peptide according to SEQ ID No: 66.

In one embodiment, the antibody of the invention is obtained using thepeptide according to SEQ ID No: 82 for immunization. Preferably, theantibody of the invention binds to said peptide. The peptide accordingto SEQ ID No: 82 has a C-terminal GS-linker which has been added toassist in the formation of a disulfide bond between amino acids 1 and 16of the peptide. This peptide presumably resembles the nativeconformation of GT468. Antibodies produced by the hybridoma 51-1A-1which has been obtained using the peptide according to SEQ ID No: 82 forimmunization showed strong inhibitory activity on proliferation andcolony formation of GT468 expressing cancer cells.

In a further embodiment, the antibody which binds to the peptideaccording to SEQ ID No: 64 and/or the peptide according to SEQ ID No:65, more preferably binds to the peptide according to SEQ ID No: 64 andthe peptide according to SEQ ID No: 65 or the antibody which binds tothe peptide according to SEQ ID No: 65 and/or the peptide according toSEQ ID No: 66, more preferably binds to the peptide according to SEQ IDNo: 65 and the peptide according to SEQ ID No: 66 is obtained using thepeptide according to SEQ ID No: 82 for immunization.

In one embodiment, the antibody of the invention binds to one or more ofthe peptides according to SEQ ID Nos: 57-60. In one embodiment, theantibody binds to the peptide according to SEQ ID No: 57 and/or thepeptide according to SEQ ID No: 58 and/or the peptide according to SEQID No: 59, more preferably binds to the peptide according to SEQ ID No:57 and the peptide according to SEQ ID No: 58 and the peptide accordingto SEQ ID No: 59. In another embodiment, the antibody binds to thepeptide according to SEQ ID No: 59 and/or the peptide according to SEQID No: 60, more preferably binds to the peptide according to SEQ ID No:59 and the peptide according to SEQ ID No: 60.

Preferably, the antibody of the invention binds to cancer cells, inparticular cells of the cancer types mentioned herein and, preferably,does not bind substantially to non-cancerous cells, more preferably doesnot bind substantially to non-cancerous cells other than placental cellsand testis cells. Preferably, binding of said antibody to cellsexpressing GT468 and/or being characterized by association of GT468 withtheir cell surface such as cancer cells mediates killing of said cellsand/or inhibits one or more activities of such cells such as motility,migration, invasion, proliferation and/or colony formation. Preferably,the antibody inhibits proliferation and/or colony formation of saidcells.

Killing of cells and/or inhibition of one or more activities of cells,in particular cell proliferation and colony formation, by the antibodyof the invention is preferably induced by binding of the antibody toGT468 expressed by said cells and/or being associated with the cellsurface of said cells. Such killing of cells and/or inhibition of one ormore activities of cells can be utilized therapeutically as describedherein. In particular, killing of cells and/or inhibition ofproliferation of cells and/or inhibition of colony formation of cellscan be utilized for treating or preventing cancer, including cancermetastasis. Inhibition of motility, migration, invasion, proliferationand/or colony formation of cells can be utilized, in particular, fortreating or preventing cancer metastasis and the metastatic spread ofcancer cells.

The cells expressing GT468 and/or being characterized by association ofGT468 with their cell surface are preferably cancer cells and are, inparticular, selected from the group consisting of tumorigenic cancercells of the following cancer diseases: breast cancer, lung cancer,gastric cancer, ovarian cancer, hepatocellular cancer, colon cancer,pancreatic cancer, esophageal cancer, head & neck cancer, kidney cancer,in particular renal cell carcinoma, prostate cancer, liver cancer,melanoma, sarcoma, myeloma, neuroblastoma, placental choriocarcinoma,cervical cancer, and thyroid cancer, and the metastatic forms thereof.In one embodiment, the cancer disease is metastatic cancer in the lung.

The antibody of the invention may be attached to one or more therapeuticeffector moieties, e.g., radiolabels, cytotoxins, therapeutic enzymes,agents that induce apoptosis, and the like in order to provide fortargeted cytotoxicity, i.e., killing of tumor cells.

Preferably the antibody of the invention mediates killing of cells byinducing complement dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) mediated lysis,antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) mediated lysis,apoptosis, homotypic adhesion, and/or phagocytosis, preferably byinducing CDC mediated lysis and/or ADCC mediated lysis. However, thepresent invention also includes embodiments wherein the antibody exertsits activity as described herein such as killing of cells and/orinhibition of one or more activities of cells, e.g. cell proliferationand/or colony formation, without inducing complement dependentcytotoxicity (CDC) mediated lysis, antibody dependent cellularcytotoxicity (ADCC) mediated lysis, apoptosis, homotypic adhesion,and/or phagocytosis. For example, the antibody of the invention may alsoexert an effect simply by binding to GT468 on the cell surface, thus,e.g. blocking proliferation of the cells. In one embodiment the antibodyof the invention does not induce CDC mediated lysis of cells.

Preferably, ADCC mediated lysis of cells takes place in the presence ofeffector cells, which in particular embodiments are selected from thegroup consisting of monocytes, mononuclear cells, NK cells and PMNs, andphagocytosis is by macrophages.

In one particularly preferred embodiment, the antibody of the inventionhas the activity of inhibiting or reducing proliferation of cellsexpressing GT468 and/or being characterized by association of GT468 withtheir cell surface, preferably cancer cells such as breast cancer cells.This activity can be measured in vitro by determining proliferation ofGT468-expressing cancer cells in an assay using bromodeoxyuridine(5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine, BrdU). BrdU is a synthetic nucleoside which isan analogue of thymidine and can be incorporated into the newlysynthesized DNA of replicating cells (during the S phase of the cellcycle), substituting for thymidine during DNA replication. Detecting theincorporated chemical using, for example, antibodies specific for BrdUindicates cells that were actively replicating their DNA. The cell linesBT-549, Caov-3, EFO-21, SK-BR-3, MCF-7, MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-231 can beused as GT468-expressing cancer cells. In a preferred embodiment, theantibody of the invention inhibits or reduces proliferation of one ormore of the cell lines SK-BR-3, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-468, preferablyinhibits or reduces proliferation of both of the cell lines SK-BR-3 andMCF-7, and most preferably inhibits or reduces proliferation of all ofthe cell lines SK-BR-3, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-468. Preferred antibodies ofthe invention in this respect are selected from the group consisting of(i) antibodies produced by and/or obtainable from the hybridomas35-48B-1, 35-50A-2a, 38-10B-1, 38-1A-1, 45-2A-1, 45-8A-2, 48-3B-1,48-4A-1, 49-3A-1, 51-1A-1, 53-13A-2, 53-29A1, 56-4A-2, 62-9B-1, 78H111H6 and 44-3A-2, (ii) antibodies which are chimerized or humanized formsof the antibodies under (i), and (iii) antibodies having the specificityof the antibodies under (i) and, in particular, antibodies comprisingthe antigen binding portion or antigen binding site, in particular thevariable region, of the antibodies under (i). Particularly preferredantibodies of the invention in this respect are selected from the groupconsisting of (i) antibodies produced by and/or obtainable from thehybridomas 35-48B-1, 48-3B-1, 51-1A-1, and 56-4A-2, (ii) antibodieswhich are chimerized or humanized forms of the antibodies under (i), and(iii) antibodies having the specificity of the antibodies under (i) and,in particular, antibodies comprising the antigen binding portion orantigen binding site, in particular the variable region, of theantibodies under (i).

In one particularly preferred embodiment, the antibody of the inventionhas the activity of inhibiting or reducing colony formation of cellsexpressing GT468 and/or being characterized by association of GT468 withtheir cell surface, preferably cancer cells such as breast cancer cells.This activity can be measured in vitro in a clonogenic assay. The celllines BT-549, Caov-3, EFO-21, SK-BR-3, MCF-7, MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-231can be used as GT468-expressing cancer cells. A clonogenic assay is amicrobiology technique for studying the effectiveness of specific agentson the survival and proliferation of cells. It is frequently used incancer research laboratories to determine the effect of drugs orradiation on proliferating tumor cells. The experiment involves threemajor steps: (i) applying a treatment to a sample of cells, inparticular cancer cells, (ii) plating the cells in a tissue culturevessel and (iii) allowing the cells to grow. The colonies produced arefixed, stained, and counted. Colony formation is of importance withrespect to the formation of metastases if individual tumor cellscolonize organs. The inhibitory activity of the antibodies indicatestheir potential in suppressing the formation of metastases. Antibodieshaving the activity of inhibiting or reducing colony formation in aclonogenic assay are particularly useful for treating or preventingmetastasis and the metastatic spread of cancer cells, in particular ofthe cancer types mentioned herein. Preferred antibodies of the inventionin this respect are selected from the group consisting of (i) antibodiesproduced by and/or obtainable from the hybridomas 51G6 2H3 2B4, 78H111H6, 16-5B-1, 22-1A-1, 29-8B-1, and 51-1A-1, (ii) antibodies which arechimerized or humanized forms of the antibodies under (i), and (iii)antibodies having the specificity of the antibodies under (i) and, inparticular, antibodies comprising the antigen binding portion or antigenbinding site, in particular the variable region, of the antibodies under(i). Particularly preferred antibodies of the invention in this respectare selected from the group consisting of (i) antibodies produced byand/or obtainable from the hybridomas 51G6 21-13 2B4, 29-8B-1, and51-1A-1, (ii) antibodies which are chimerized or humanized forms of theantibodies under (i), and (iii) antibodies having the specificity of theantibodies under (i) and, in particular, antibodies comprising theantigen binding portion or antigen binding site, in particular thevariable region, of the antibodies under (i).

In one particularly preferred embodiment, the antibody of the inventionhas the activity of inhibiting or reducing proliferation of cellsexpressing GT468 and/or being characterized by association of GT468 withtheir cell surface as explained above and has the activity of inhibitingor reducing colony formation of cells expressing GT468 and/or beingcharacterized by association of GT468 with their cell surface asexplained above. Preferred antibodies of the invention in this respectare selected from the group consisting of (i) antibodies produced byand/or obtainable from the hybridoma 51-1A-1, (ii) antibodies which arechimerized or humanized forms of the antibodies under (i), and (iii)antibodies having the specificity of the antibodies under (i) and, inparticular, antibodies comprising the antigen binding portion or antigenbinding site, in particular the variable region, of the antibodies under(i).

In one embodiment the invention relates to antibodies which (i) bind tocells expressing GT468 and/or being characterized by association ofGT468 with their cell surface, and (ii) do not bind to cells notexpressing GT468 and/or not being characterized by association of GT468with their cell surface. The antibodies of the invention preferably (i)mediate killing and/or inhibit proliferation of cells expressing GT468and/or being characterized by association of GT468 with their cellsurface, and (ii) do not mediate killing and/or do not inhibitproliferation of cells not expressing GT468 and/or not beingcharacterized by association of GT468 with their cell surface.

The antibody of the invention may be a monoclonal, chimeric, human, orhumanized antibody, or a fragment of an antibody and may be selectedfrom the group consisting of an IgG1, an IgG2, preferably IgG2a andIgG2b, an IgG3, an IgG4, an IgM, an IgA 1, an IgA2, a secretory IgA, anIgD, and an IgE antibody.

Antibodies of the invention include fully human antibodies. Suchantibodies may be produced in a non-human transgenic animal, e.g., atransgenic mouse, capable of producing multiple isotypes of humanmonoclonal antibodies to GT468 by undergoing V-D-J recombination andisotype switching. Such transgenic animal can also be a transgenicrabbit for producing polyclonal antibodies such as disclosed in US2003/0017534.

Binding of an antibody of the invention to the GT468 antigen may mediatethe killing of cells expressing GT468 and/or being characterized byassociation of GT468 with their cell surface (e.g. a tumor cell), e.g.by activation of the complement system, and/or may inhibit proliferationof cells expressing GT468 and/or being characterized by association ofGT468 with their cell surface (e.g. a tumor cell). Alternatively or inaddition to mediating killing of cells expressing GT468 and/or beingcharacterized by association of GT468 with their cell surface and/orinhibiting proliferation of cells expressing GT468 and/or beingcharacterized by association of GT468 with their cell surface, bindingof an antibody of the invention to the GT468 antigen may inhibitmotility, migration, colony formation and/or invasion of cellsexpressing GT468 and/or being characterized by association of GT468 withtheir cell surface (e.g. a tumor cell), and thus, may inhibit metastaticspread of tumor cells. The killing of cells expressing GT468 and/orbeing characterized by association of GT468 with their cell surface mayoccur by one or more of the following mechanisms: complement dependentcytotoxity (CDC) of cells expressing GT468 and/or being characterized byassociation of GT468 with their cell surface; apoptosis of cellsexpressing GT468 and/or being characterized by association of GT468 withtheir cell surface; effector cell phagocytosis of cells expressing GT468and/or being characterized by association of GT468 with their cellsurface; or effector cell antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity(ADCC) of cells expressing GT468 and/or being characterized byassociation of GT468 with their cell surface.

According to all aspects of the invention, GT468 is preferably humanGT468, preferably having the amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO:2, more preferably having the amino acid sequence of the extracellulardomain of the amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO: 2, inparticular having the amino acid sequence spanning from amino acids 23to 212 of SEQ ID NO: 2.

In particular preferred embodiments, the antibody of the invention bindsto native epitopes of GT468 present on the surface of living cells suchas those of SEQ ID NOs: 3-10 and 35-82. In further preferredembodiments, the antibody of the invention is specific for cancer cells,preferably breast cancer cells. Preferably, the antibody of theinvention is specific for GT468-expressing cancer cells such as the celllines BT-549, Caov-3, EFO-21, SK-BR-3, MCF-7, MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-231and does not bind to cancer cells not expressing GT468 such as NUG-C4gastric cancer cells.

In certain embodiments of the invention, GT468 is expressed on and/orassociated with the surface of cells.

Antibodies of the invention may be obtained by a method comprising thestep of immunizing an animal with a protein or peptide having an aminoacid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 2-10 and35-82, or an immunogenic fragment or derivative thereof, or a nucleicacid or host cell expressing said protein or peptide, or immunogenicfragment or derivative thereof. Preferably, an antibody of the inventionis specific for the afore mentioned proteins, peptides or immunogenicfragments or derivatives thereof. In the context of a protein or peptideused in immunization, a derivative relates to a variant of such proteinor peptide which has the same immunogenic properties as the protein orpeptide from which it is derived. In particular, the derivative of aprotein or peptide when used in immunization for the production ofantibodies, in particular monoclonal antibodies, provides antibodieshaving the same specificity as antibodies obtained when using theprotein or peptide in immunization. For example, such derivative mayinclude the deletion, substitution or addition of one or more aminoacids. In particular, it may include the addition of one or more aminoacids such as cysteine at either the N-terminus or C-terminus or both.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the antibody of the invention isproduced by a clone having the accession no. DSM ACC2822 (4E9-1H9), DSMACC2826 (9B6-2A9), DSM ACC2824 (59D6-2F2), DSM ACC2825 (61C11-2B5), DSMACC2823 (78H11-1H6), DSM ACC2895 (22-1A-1), DSM ACC2893 (22-2A-1), DSMACC2896 (22-9B-1), DSM ACC2897 (23-33A-1), DSM ACC2891 (23-19A-1), DSMACC2894 (F11#33F7D12), DSM ACC2892 (4A12 2D4 1A10), DSM ACC2898 (4E91D12 2D4), DSM ACC2961 (42H11 1C11 2B2), DSM ACC2962 (51G6 2H3 2B4), DSMACC2943 (16-5B-1), DSM ACC2956 (20-11A-1), DSM ACC2947 (29-1A-2), DSMACC2964 (29-8B-1), DSM ACC2959 (35-48B-1), DSM ACC2963 (35-50A-2a), DSMACC2957 (38-10B-1), DSM ACC2958 (38-1A-1), DSM ACC2948 (44-3A-2), DSMACC2949 (45-2A-1), DSM ACC2950 (45-8A-2), DSM ACC2951 (48-3B-1), DSMACC2952 (48-4A-1), DSM ACC2946 (49-3A-1), DSM ACC2945 (49-8A-1), DSMACC2944 (51-1A-1), DSM ACC2953 (53-13A-2), DSM ACC2955 (53-29A-1), DSMACC2960 (54-4B-2), DSM ACC2954 (56-4A-2), or DSM ACC3001 (62-9B-1).

In one embodiment the antibody of the invention is coupled to atherapeutic agent such as a toxin, a radioisotope, a drug or a cytotoxicagent.

In a further aspect the invention relates to a hybridoma capable ofproducing the antibody of the invention. Preferred hybridomas are thosehaving the accession no. DSM ACC2822 (4E9-1H9), DSM ACC2826 (9B6-2A9),DSM ACC2824 (59D6-2F2), DSM ACC2825 (61C11-2B5), DSM ACC2823(78H11-1H6), DSM ACC2895 (22-1A-1), DSM ACC2893 (22-2A-1), DSM ACC2896(22-9B-1), DSM ACC2897 (23-33A-1), DSM ACC2891 (23-19A-1), DSM ACC2894(F11#33F7D12), DSM ACC2892 (4A12 2D4 1A10), DSM ACC2898 (4E9 1D12 2D4),DSM ACC2961 (42H11 1C11 2B2), DSM ACC2962 (51G6 2H3 2B4), DSM ACC2943(16-5B-1), DSM ACC2956 (20-11A-1), DSM ACC2947 (29-1A-2), DSM ACC2964(29-8B-1), DSM ACC2959 (35-48B-1), DSM ACC2963 (35-50A-2a), DSM ACC2957(38-10B-1), DSM ACC2958 (38-1A-1), DSM ACC2948 (44-3A-2), DSM ACC2949(45-2A-1), DSM ACC2950 (45-8A-2), DSM ACC2951 (48-3B-1), DSM ACC2952(48-4A-1), DSM ACC2946 (49-3A-1), DSM ACC2945 (49-8A-1), DSM ACC2944(51-1A-1), DSM ACC2953 (53-13A-2), DSM ACC2955 (53-29A-1), DSM ACC2960(54-4B-2), DSM ACC2954 (56-4A-2), or DSM ACC3001 (62-9B-1).

Antibodies of the invention are designated herein by referring to thedesignation of the antibody and/or by referring to the clone producingthe antibody, e.g. 4E9-1H9.

Preferably, the antibodies of the invention have the ability todiscriminate GT468-variants expressed by different cell types includingcancer cells and non-malignant cells.

The antibodies of the invention preferably mediate killing of cellsexpressing GT468 and/or being characterized by association of GT468 withtheir cell surface by binding to GT468. Preferably GT468 is expressed onthe surface of said cells. In one embodiment, antibodies of theinvention induce complement dependent cytotoxicity (CDC), e.g. at leastabout 20-40% CDC mediated lysis, preferably about 40-50% CDC mediatedlysis, and more preferably more than 50% CDC mediated lysis of cellsexpressing GT468 and/or being characterized by association of GT468 withtheir cell surface. Alternatively or in addition to inducing CDC,antibodies of the invention may induce antibody dependent cellularcytotoxicity (ADCC) of cells expressing GT468 and/or being characterizedby association of GT468 with their cell surface in the presence ofeffector cells (e.g., monocytes, mononuclear cells, NK cells and PMNs).Antibodies of the invention may have the ability to induce apoptosis ofcells expressing GT468 and/or being characterized by association ofGT468 with their cell surface, induce homotypic adhesion of cellsexpressing GT468 and/or being characterized by association of GT468 withtheir cell surface and/or induce phagocytosis of cells expressing GT468and/or being characterized by association of GT468 with their cellsurface in the presence of macrophages. The antibodies of the inventionmay have one or more of the above described functional properties.Preferably, antibodies of the invention induce CDC mediated lysis andADCC mediated lysis of cells expressing GT468 and/or being characterizedby association of GT468 with their cell surface and more preferablyinduce ADCC mediated lysis of cells expressing GT468 and/or beingcharacterized by association of GT468 with their cell surface while theydo not induce CDC mediated lysis of said cells. Exemplary target cellsfor antibodies of the present invention include, but are not limited to,cancer cells expressing GT468 and/or being characterized by associationof GT468 with their cell surface. In a particular preferred embodiment,killing of cells mediated by antibodies of the invention is GT468specific, i.e. antibodies of the invention mediate killing, preferablyCDC and/or ADCC mediated lysis, of cells expressing GT468 and/or beingcharacterized by association of GT468 with their cell surface but do notmediate killing of cells not expressing GT468 and/or not beingcharacterized by association of GT468 with their cell surface. Theantibodies described above may be used to mediate killing of tumor cellsin the treatment or prevention of cancer such as breast cancer, lungcancer, gastric cancer, ovarian cancer, hepatocellular cancer, coloncancer, pancreatic cancer, esophageal cancer, head & neck cancer, kidneycancer, in particular renal cell carcinoma, prostate cancer, livercancer, melanoma, sarcoma, myeloma, neuroblastoma, placentalchoriocarcinoma, cervical cancer, and thyroid cancer, and the metastaticforms thereof. In one embodiment, the cancer disease is metastaticcancer in the lung.

Antibodies of the invention may be derived from different species,including but not limited to mouse, rat, rabbit, guinea pig and human.Antibodies of the invention also include chimeric molecules in which anantibody constant region derived from one species, preferably human, iscombined with the antigen binding site derived from another species.Moreover antibodies of the invention include humanized molecules inwhich the antigen binding sites of an antibody derived from a non-humanspecies are combined with constant and framework regions of humanorigin.

Antibodies of the invention include polyclonal and monoclonal antibodiesand include IgG2a (e.g. IgG2a, κ, λ), IgG2b (e.g. IgG2b, κ, λ), IgG3(e.g. IgG3, κ, λ) and IgM antibodies. However, other antibody isotypesare also encompassed by the invention, including IgG1, IgA1, IgA2,secretory IgA, IgD, and IgE antibodies. The antibodies can be wholeantibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof including, for example,Fab, F(ab′)₂, Fv, single chain Fv fragments or bispecific antibodies.Furthermore, the antigen-binding fragments include binding-domainimmunoglobulin fusion proteins comprising (i) a binding domainpolypeptide (such as a heavy chain variable region or a light chainvariable region) that is fused to an immunoglobulin hinge regionpolypeptide, (ii) an immunoglobulin heavy chain CH₂ constant regionfused to the hinge region, and (iii) an immunoglobulin heavy chain CH₃constant region fused to the CH₂ constant region. Such binding-domainimmunoglobulin fusion proteins are further disclosed in US2003/0118592and US 2003/0133939.

Antibodies of the present invention preferably dissociate from GT468with a dissociation equilibrium constant (KD) of approximately 1-100 nMor less. Preferably, antibodies of the invention do not cross-react withrelated cell-surface antigens and thus do not inhibit their function.

In preferred embodiments, antibodies of the present invention can becharacterized by one or more of the following properties:

-   a) specificity for GT468;-   b) a binding affinity to GT468 of about 100 nM or less, preferably,    about 5-10 nM or less and, more preferably, about 1-3 nM or less,-   c) the ability to mediate a high level of CDC on either CD55/59    negative or CD55/59 positive cells;-   d) the ability to inhibit the growth of cells which express GT468    and/or are characterized by association of GT468 with their cell    surface;-   e) the ability to induce apoptosis of cells which express GT468    and/or are characterized by association of GT468 with their cell    surface;-   f) the ability to induce homotypic adhesion of cells which express    GT468 and/or are characterized by association of GT468 with their    cell surface;-   g) the ability to induce ADCC of cells which express GT468 and/or    are characterized by association of GT468 with their cell surface in    the presence of effector cells;-   h) the ability to prolong survival of a subject having tumor cells    which express GT468 and/or are characterized by association of GT468    with their cell surface;-   i) the ability to deplete cells which express GT468 and/or are    characterized by association of GT468 with their cell surface;-   j) the ability to deplete cells which express low levels of GT468    and/or are characterized by association of GT468 with their cell    surface and/or-   k) the ability to aggregate GT468 on the surface of living cells

The anti-GT468 antibodies of the present invention can be derivatized,linked to or co-expressed to other binding specificities. In aparticular embodiment, the invention provides a bispecific ormultispecific molecule comprising at least one first binding specificityfor GT468 (e.g., an anti-GT468 antibody or mimetic thereof), and asecond binding specificity for a effector cell, such as a bindingspecificity for an Fc receptor (e.g., a Fc-gamma receptor, such asFc-gamma RI, or any other Fc receptor) or a T cell receptor, e.g., CD3.

Accordingly, the present invention includes bispecific and multispecificmolecules that bind to both GT468 and to an Fc receptor or a T cellreceptor, e.g. CD3. Examples of Fc receptors are IgG receptor, Fc-gammareceptor (FcγR), such as FcγRI (CD64), FcγRII (CD32), and FcγRIII(CD16). Other Fc receptors, such as IgA receptors (e.g., FcαRI), alsocan be targeted. The Fc receptor is preferably located on the surface ofan effector cell, e.g., a monocyte, macrophage or an activatedmononuclear cell. In a preferred embodiment, the bispecific andmultispecific molecules bind to an Fc receptor at a site which isdistinct from the immunoglobulin Fc (e.g., IgG or IgA) binding site ofthe receptor. Therefore, the binding of the bispecific and multispecificmolecules is not blocked by physiological levels of immunoglobulins.

In yet another aspect, anti-GT468 antibodies of the invention arederivatized, linked to or co-expressed with another functional molecule,e.g., another peptide or protein (e.g., a Fab′ fragment). For example,an antibody of the invention can be functionally linked (e.g., bychemical coupling, genetic fusion, noncovalent association or otherwise)to one or more other molecular entities, such as another antibody (e.g.to produce a bispecific or a multispecific antibody), a cytotoxin,cellular ligand or antigen (e.g. to produce an immunoconjugate, such asan immunotoxin). An antibody of the present invention can be linked toother therapeutic moieties, e.g., a radioisotope, a small moleculeanti-cancer drug, a recombinant cytokine or chemokine. Accordingly, thepresent invention encompasses a large variety of antibody conjugates,bispecific and multispecific molecules, and fusion proteins, all ofwhich bind to GT468 expressing cells and/or to cells being characterizedby association of GT468 with their cell surface and which can be used totarget other molecules to such cells.

Generally, for the purposes of the present invention, all antibodyderivatives such as antibody conjugates, bispecific and multispecificmolecules, and fusion proteins described herein are encompassed by theterm “antibody”.

In a further aspect, the invention also envisions GT468-binding proteinsderived from non-immunoglobulin domains, in particular single-chainproteins. Such binding proteins and methods for their production aredescribed, for example, in Binz et al. (2005) Nature Biotechnology 23(10): 1257-1268, herein incorporated by reference. It is to beunderstood that the teaching given herein with respect to immunoglobulinor immunoglobulin derived binding molecules correspondingly also appliesto binding molecules derived from non-immunoglobulin domains. Inparticular, using such binding molecules derived from non-immunoglobulindomains it is possible to block GT468 of cells expressing said targetand/or being characterized by association of said target with their cellsurface and thus, to bring about therapeutic effects as disclosed hereinfor antibodies of the invention, in particular the inhibition of one ormore activities of tumor cells as disclosed herein such asproliferation. Although not mandatory, it is possible to confer effectorfunctions of antibodies to such non-immunoglobulin binding molecules bye.g. fusion to the Fc region of antibodies.

The present invention generally embraces the treatment and/or diagnosisof diseases, in particular tumor diseases, by targeting GT468 expressedby cells and/or being associated with the surface of cells. Thesemethods provide for the selective detection and/or eradication of suchcells thereby minimizing adverse effects to normal cells not expressingGT468 and/or not being characterized by association of GT468 with theircell surface. Preferred diseases for a therapy or diagnosis are those inwhich cells expressing GT468 and/or being characterized by associationof GT468 with their cell surface are involved such as tumor diseases, inparticular cancer diseases such as those described herein.

In one aspect, the invention provides compositions, e.g., pharmaceuticaland diagnostic compositions/kits, comprising an antibody or acombination of antibodies of the invention. A pharmaceutical compositionof the invention may comprise a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier andmay optionally comprise one or more adjuvants, stabilizers etc. In aparticular embodiment, the composition includes a combination ofantibodies which bind to distinct epitopes or which possess distinctfunctional characteristics, such as inducing CDC and/or ADCC andinducing apoptosis. In this embodiment of the invention, antibodies maybe used in combination, e.g., as a pharmaceutical composition comprisingtwo or more anti-GT468 monoclonal antibodies. For example, anti-GT468antibodies having different but complementary activities can be combinedin a single therapy to achieve a desired therapeutic effect. In apreferred embodiment, the composition includes an anti-GT468 antibodythat mediates CDC combined with another anti-GT468 antibody that inducesapoptosis. In another embodiment, the composition includes an anti-GT468antibody that mediates highly effective killing of target cells in thepresence of effector cells, combined with another anti-GT468 antibodythat inhibits the growth of cells expressing GT468 and/or beingcharacterized by association of GT468 with their cell surface.

The present invention also includes the simultaneous or sequentialadministration of two or more anti-GT468 antibodies of the invention,wherein preferably at least one of said antibodies is a chimericanti-GT468 antibody and at least one further antibody is a humananti-GT468 antibody, the antibodies binding to the same or differentepitopes of GT468. Preferably, a chimeric GT468 antibody of theinvention is administered first followed by the administration of ahuman anti-GT468 antibody of the invention, wherein the human anti-GT468antibody is preferably administered for an extended period of time, i.e.as maintenance therapy.

Antibodies, conjugates, bispecific/multispecific molecules andcompositions of the present invention can be used in a variety ofmethods for inhibiting growth of cells expressing GT468 and/or beingcharacterized by association of GT468 with their cell surface and/orselectively killing cells expressing GT468 and/or being characterized byassociation of GT468 with their cell surface by contacting the cellswith an effective amount of the antibody, conjugate,bispecific/multispecific molecule or composition, such that the growthof the cell is inhibited and/or the cell is killed. In one embodiment,the method includes killing of the cell expressing GT468 and/or beingcharacterized by association of GT468 with its cell surface, optionallyin the presence of effector cells, for example, by CDC, apoptosis, ADCC,phagocytosis, or by a combination of two or more of these mechanisms.Cells expressing GT468 and/or being characterized by association ofGT468 with their cell surface which can be inhibited or killed using theantibodies of the invention include cancer cells.

Antibodies, conjugates, and bispecific/multispecific molecules andcompositions of the present invention can be used to treat and/orprevent a variety of diseases involving cells expressing GT468 and/orbeing characterized by association of GT468 with their cell surface byadministering the antibodies to patients suffering from such diseases.Exemplary diseases that can be treated (e.g., ameliorated) or preventedinclude, but are not limited to, tumorigenic diseases. Examples oftumorigenic diseases, which can be treated and/or prevented, includecancer diseases such as breast cancer, lung cancer, gastric cancer,ovarian cancer, hepatocellular cancer, colon cancer, pancreatic cancer,esophageal cancer, head & neck cancer, kidney cancer, in particularrenal cell carcinoma, prostate cancer, liver cancer, melanoma, sarcoma,myeloma, neuroblastoma, placental choriocarcinoma, cervical cancer, andthyroid cancer, and the metastatic forms thereof. In one embodiment, thecancer disease is metastatic cancer in the lung.

In one aspect the invention relates to a method of inhibiting one ormore activities selected from motility, migration, invasion, growth(proliferation), and colony formation, preferably growth and/or colonyformation of a cell expressing GT468 and/or being characterized byassociation of GT468 with its cell surface, comprising contacting thecell with an effective amount of an antibody, conjugate,bispecific/multispecific molecule or composition of the invention. GT468is preferably expressed on the surface of said cell.

In a further aspect the invention relates to a method of treating orpreventing a disease or disorder involving cells expressing GT468 and/orbeing characterized by association of GT468 with their cell surfacecomprising administering to a subject an antibody, conjugate,bispecific/multispecific molecule or composition of the inventionPreferably the disease or disorder is a tumor-related disease and inparticular embodiments is selected from the group consisting of breastcancer, lung cancer, gastric cancer, ovarian cancer, hepatocellularcancer, colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, esophageal cancer, head & neckcancer, kidney cancer, in particular renal cell carcinoma, prostatecancer, liver cancer, melanoma, sarcoma, myeloma, neuroblastoma,placental choriocarcinoma, cervical cancer, and thyroid cancer, and themetastatic forms thereof. In one embodiment, the cancer disease ismetastatic cancer in the lung. GT468 is preferably expressed on thesurface of said cells.

The invention may involve the use of the agents and compositionsdescribed herein for a prophylactic and/or therapeutic treatment oftumor diseases, i.e. for treating a patient having a tumor disease orbeing at risk of developing a tumor disease. In one aspect, theinvention provides methods for inhibiting tumor growth comprising theadministration of one or more of the agents and compositions describedherein.

Preferably, the agents and compositions described herein areadministered in a way such that the therapeutically active substance isnot delivered or not substantially delivered to a tissue or organwherein the cells when the tissue or organ is free of tumorssubstantially express GT468 and/or are characterized by expression ofGT468 with their cell surface such as placenta tissue and/or testistissue. To this end, the agents and compositions described herein can beadministered locally.

In one aspect, the invention provides an antibody as described hereinfor use in the methods of treatment described herein. In one embodiment,the invention provides a pharmaceutical composition as described hereinfor use in the methods of treatment described herein.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, the subject beingadministered the antibody is additionally treated with achemotherapeutic agent, radiation, or an agent that modulates, e.g.,enhances or inhibits, the expression or activity of an Fc receptor, e.g.an Fc-gamma receptor, such as a cytokine. Typical cytokines foradministration during treatment include granulocyte colony-stimulatingfactor (G-CSF), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor(GM-CSF), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF). Typicaltherapeutic agents include, among others, anti-neoplastic agents such asdoxorubicin, cisplatin, taxotere, 5-fluoruracil, methotrexat, gemzitabinand cyclophosphamide.

In yet another aspect, the invention relates to an immunization strategyto immunize non-human animals such as mice with human GT468 or a peptidefragment thereof to obtain antibodies. Preferred peptides forimmunization are those selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:2-10 and 35-82, or derivatives thereof. Accordingly, in preferredembodiments, the antibodies of the invention are those obtained byimmunization using peptides selected from the group consisting of SEQ IDNO: 2-10 and 35-82, or derivatives thereof. Analogously, antibodies toGT468 can be generated in a transgenic non-human animal, such as atransgenic mouse. The transgenic non-human animal may be a transgenicmouse having a genome comprising a heavy chain transgene and a lightchain transgene encoding all or a portion of an antibody.

Wildtype as well as transgenic non-human animals can be immunized with apurified or enriched preparation of GT468 antigen and/or nucleic acidsand/or cells expressing GT468 or a peptide fragment thereof. Preferably,the non-human animal is capable of producing multiple isotypes of humanmonoclonal antibodies to GT468 (e.g., IgG, IgA and/or IgM) by undergoingV-D-J recombination and isotype switching. Isotype switching may occurby e.g., classical or non-classical isotype switching.

Accordingly, in yet another aspect, the invention provides isolated Bcells from a non-human animal as described above. The isolated B cellscan then be immortalized by fusion to an immortalized cell to provide asource (e.g., a hybridoma) of antibodies of the invention. Suchhybridomas (i.e., which produce antibodies of the invention) are alsoincluded within the scope of the invention.

In a further aspect, the present invention relates to methods fordiagnosis, detection or monitoring of a tumor disease comprising thedetection of and/or determination of the quantity of GT468 or cellsexpressing GT468 and/or being characterized by association of GT468 withtheir cell surface in a biological sample isolated from a patient usingan antibody of the invention. The biological sample may be isolated froma patient having a tumor disease, being suspected of having or fallingill with a tumor disease or having a potential for a tumor disease.

In one embodiment of the method for diagnosis, detection or monitoringof a tumor disease according to the invention, a biological sampleand/or a control/reference sample is from a tissue or organcorresponding to the tissue or organ which is to be diagnosed, detectedor monitored with respect to affection by a tumor disease; e.g. thetumor disease which is to be diagnosed, detected or monitored is breastcancer and the biological sample and/or control/reference sample isbreast tissue. Such tissues and organs are described herein, forexample, in connection with different tumor diseases and cancers.

In one embodiment of the methods for diagnosis, detection or monitoringof a tumor disease the biological sample is from a tissue or organwherein the cells when the tissue or organ is free of tumors do notsubstantially express GT468 and/or are not characterized by substantialassociation of GT468 with their cell surface. Preferably said tissue isa tissue other than placenta tissue or testis tissue.

Typically, the level of a target molecule in a biological sample iscompared to a reference level, wherein a deviation from said referencelevel is indicative of the presence and/or stage of a tumor disease in asubject. The reference level may be a level as determined in a controlsample (e.g., from a healthy tissue or subject) or a median level fromhealthy subjects. A “deviation” from said reference level designates anysignificant change, such as an increase or decrease by at least 10%,20%, or 30%, preferably by at least 40% or 50%, or even more.Preferably, the presence of GT468 or cells expressing GT468 and/or beingcharacterized by association of GT468 with their cell surface in saidbiological sample or a quantity of GT468 or cells expressing GT468and/or being characterized by association of GT468 with their cellsurface in the biological sample which is increased compared to areference level indicates the presence of a tumor disease.

Typically, the detection and/or determination of the quantity in themethods of the invention involves the use of labeled antibodies whichspecifically bind to a target molecule.

In a particular aspect, the invention relates to a method for detection,i.e. determining the position or site, of a tumor disease, e.g. aparticular tissue or organ, which comprises administering an antibody ofthe present invention which is coupled to a detectable label to apatient. Labelling of a tissue or organ in said patient may indicate thepresence of or risk for a tumor disease in said tissue or organ.

As exemplified herein, antibodies of the invention can be obtaineddirectly from hybridomas which express the antibody, or can be clonedand recombinantly expressed in a host cell (e.g., a CHO cell, or alymphocytic cell). Further examples of host cells are microorganisms,such as E. coli, and fungi, such as yeast. Alternatively, they can beproduced recombinantly in a transgenic non-human animal or plant.However, the present invention also envisions embodiments wherein theantibodies are produced by immunization or vaccination usingimmunization strategies as disclosed herein in situ in a patient.

Preferred hybridoma cells for producing antibodies of the invention arethose deposited at the DSMZ (Inhoffenstr. 7B, 38124 Braunschweig,Germany) having the following designations and accession numbers:

1. 4E9-1H9, accession no. DSM ACC2822, deposited on Mar. 13, 2007

2. 9B6-2A9, accession no. DSM ACC2826, deposited on Mar. 13, 2007

3. 59D6-2F2, accession no. DSM ACC2824, deposited on Mar. 13, 2007

4. 61C11-2B5, accession no. DSM ACC2825, deposited on Mar. 13, 2007

5. 78H11-1H6, accession no. DSM ACC2823, deposited on Mar. 13, 2007

6. 22-1A-1, accession no. DSM ACC2895, deposited on Mar. 11, 2008

7. 22-2A-1, accession no. DSM ACC2893, deposited on Mar. 11, 2008

8. 22-9B-1, accession no. DSM ACC2896, deposited on Mar. 11, 2008

9. 23-33A-1, accession no. DSM ACC2897, deposited on Mar. 11, 2008

10. 23-19A-1, accession no. DSM ACC2891, deposited on Mar. 11, 2008

11. F11#33F7D12, accession no. DSM ACC2894, deposited on Mar. 11, 2008

12. 4A12 2D4 1A10, accession no. DSM ACC2892, deposited on Mar. 11, 2008

13. 4E9 1D12 2D4, accession no. DSM ACC2898, deposited on Mar. 11, 2008

14. 42H11 1C11 2B2, accession no. DSM ACC2961, deposited on Sep. 1, 2008

15. 51G6 2113 2B4, accession no. DSM ACC2962, deposited on Sep. 1, 2008

16. 16-5B-1, accession no. DSM ACC2943, deposited on Sep. 1, 2008

17. 20-11A-1, accession no. DSM ACC2956, deposited on Sep. 1, 2008

18. 29-1A-2, accession no. DSM ACC2947, deposited on Sep. 1, 2008

19. 29-8B-1, accession no. DSM ACC2964, deposited on Sep. 2, 2008

20. 35-48B-1, accession no. DSM ACC2959, deposited on Sep. 1, 2008

21. 35-50A-2a, accession no. DSM ACC2963, deposited on Sep. 1, 2008

22. 38-10B-1, accession no. DSM ACC2957, deposited on Sep. 1, 2008

23. 38-1A-1, accession no. DSM ACC2958, deposited on Sep. 1, 2008

24. 44-3A-2, accession no. DSM ACC2948, deposited on Sep. 1, 2008

25. 45-2A-1, accession no. DSM ACC2949, deposited on Sep. 1, 2008

26. 45-8A-2, accession no. DSM ACC2950, deposited on Sep. 1, 2008

27. 48-3B-1, accession no. DSM ACC2951, deposited on Sep. 1, 2008

28. 48-4A-1, accession no. DSM ACC2952, deposited on Sep. 1, 2008

29.49-3A-1, accession no. DSM ACC2946, deposited on Sep. 1, 2008

30. 49-8A-1, accession no. DSM ACC2945, deposited on Sep. 1, 2008

31. 51-1A-1, accession no. DSM ACC2944, deposited on Sep. 1, 2008

32. 53-13A-2, accession no. DSM ACC2953, deposited on Sep. 1, 2008

33. 53-29A-1, accession no. DSM ACC2955, deposited on Sep. 1, 2008

34. 54-4B-2, accession no. DSM ACC2960, deposited on Sep. 1, 2008

35. 56-4A-2, accession no. DSM ACC2954, deposited on Sep. 1, 2008

36. 62-9B-1, accession no. DSM ACC3001, deposited on Jul. 16, 2009

Preferred antibodies of the invention are those produced by andobtainable from the above-described hybridomas and the chimerized andhumanized forms thereof. Further preferred antibodies of the inventionare those having the specificity of the antibodies produced by andobtainable from the above-described hybridomas and, in particular, thosecomprising the antigen binding portion or antigen binding site, inparticular the variable region, of the antibodies produced by andobtainable from the above-described hybridomas.

In preferred embodiments, antibodies, in particular chimerised forms ofantibodies according to the invention include antibodies comprising aheavy chain constant region (CH) comprising an amino acid sequencederived from a human heavy chain constant region such as the amino acidsequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 17 or 24 or a fragment thereof. Infurther preferred embodiments, antibodies, in particular chimerisedforms of antibodies according to the invention include antibodiescomprising a light chain constant region (CL) comprising an amino acidsequence derived from a human light chain constant region such as theamino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 18 or 22 or a fragmentthereof. In a particular preferred embodiment, antibodies, in particularchimerised forms of antibodies according to the invention includeantibodies which comprise a CH comprising an amino acid sequence derivedfrom a human CH such as the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ IDNO: 17 or 24 or a fragment thereof and which comprise a CL comprising anamino acid sequence derived from a human CL such as the amino acidsequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 18 or 22 or a fragment thereof.

A CH comprising the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 17 maybe encoded by a nucleic acid comprising the nucleic acid sequencerepresented by SEQ ID NO: 20. A CH comprising the amino acid sequencerepresented by SEQ ID NO: 24 may be encoded by a nucleic acid comprisingthe nucleic acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 23. A CL comprisingthe amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 18 may be encoded by anucleic acid comprising the nucleic acid sequence represented by SEQ IDNO: 19. A CL comprising the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ IDNO: 22 may be encoded by a nucleic acid comprising the nucleic acidsequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 21.

“Fragment” or “fragment of an amino acid sequence” as used above relatesto a part of an antibody sequence, i.e. a sequence which represents theantibody sequence shortened at the N- and/or C-terminus, which when itreplaces said antibody sequence in an antibody retains binding of saidantibody to GT468 and preferably functions of said antibody as describedherein, e.g. CDC mediated lysis or ADCC mediated lysis. Preferably, afragment of an amino acid sequence comprises at least 80%, preferably atleast 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% of the amino acid residues fromsaid amino acid sequence. Fragments of amino acid sequences describedherein may be encoded by respective fragments of nucleic acid sequencesencoding said amino acid sequences.

The present invention also relates to nucleic acids comprising genes ornucleic acid sequences encoding antibodies or parts thereof, e.g. anantibody chain, as described herein. The nucleic acids may be comprisedin a vector, e.g., a plasmid, cosmid, virus, bacteriophage or anothervector used e.g. conventionally in genetic engineering. The vector maycomprise further genes such as marker genes which allow for theselection of the vector in a suitable host cell and under suitableconditions. Furthermore, the vector may comprise expression controlelements allowing proper expression of the coding regions in suitablehosts. Such control elements are known to the artisan and may include apromoter, a splice cassette, and a translation initiation codon.

Preferably, the nucleic acid of the invention is operatively attached tothe above expression control sequences allowing expression in eukaryoticor prokaryotic cells. Control elements ensuring expression in eukaryoticor prokaryotic cells are well known to those skilled in the art.

Methods for construction of nucleic acid molecules according to thepresent invention, for construction of vectors comprising the abovenucleic acid molecules, for introduction of the vectors intoappropriately chosen host cells, for causing or achieving the expressionare well-known in the art.

A further aspect of the present invention relates to a host cellcomprising a nucleic acid or vector as disclosed herein.

Other features and advantages of the instant invention will be apparentfrom the following detailed description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1. GT468 is a trophoblastic lineage marker aberrantly activated incancer cells. (A) End-point 35 cycle RT-PCR in normal tissues, primarybreast cancer samples and cancer cell lines (1, MCF-7; 2, MDA-MB-435S;3, BT-549; 4, MDA-MB-231; 5, SNU-16; 6, LCLC-103H; 7, KYSE-510; 8,KYSE-30; 9, EFO-27; 10, TOV-21G; 11, TOV-112D; 12, CAOV-3; 13, EFO-21;14, FU-OV-1; 15, LNCAP; 16, CAPAN-2). (B) Quantitative 40 cyclereal-time RT-PCR in normal tissues (1, Testis; 2, Placenta; 3, Brain; 4,Lung; 5, Breast; 6, Colon; 7, Liver; 8; Stomach; 9, Kidney; 10,Prostate; 11, Pancreas; 12, Ovary; 13, Spleen; 14, Skin; 15, Myocard;16, Endometrium; 17, rest. PBMCs; 18, prolif. PBMCs; 19, Adrenal gland),primary breast cancer specimens and (C) cancer cell lines. (D)Quantitative real-time RT-PCR analysis of siRNA-mediated GT468 silencingin MCF-7 and BT-549 breast cancer cells. (E) Western blot analysis ofsiRNA-mediated decrease of GT468 protein expression. Control cells wereeither not treated or transfected with a scrambled non-silencing duplex(ns-siRNA). (F) Western blot analysis of GT468 protein levels in normaland neoplastic human tissues. (G) Immunohistochemistry of sectionsderived from normal human breast tissue (left) and breast cancer (right)using a GT468 specific antibody.

FIG. 2. GT468 is a cell surface associated protein. (A) Staining ofmethanol-fixed and (B) non-fixed MCF-7 and BT-549 breast cancer cellswith anti-GT468/C-term antibody after transfection with GT468-specificsiRNA (siRNA# 1) or non-silencing siRNA (ns-siRNA).

FIG. 3. GT468 expression promotes motility, migration and invasion ofbreast cancer cells. (A) Chemokinesis (motility) analysis in Transwellmigration assays with 5% FCS added to the upper as well as the lowerchamber was analyzed after 12 h. (B) Chemotaxis analysis of MCF-7 andBT-549 cells in Transwell migration assays 12 h after 5% FCS has beenadded to the lower chamber only to obtain a gradient. (C) Analysis ofchemotactic invasion into Matrigel 24 h after 5% FCS as chemoattractanthas been added to the lower chamber.

FIG. 4. GT468 expression promotes proliferation of breast cancer cells.(A) Analysis of proliferation in MCF-7 and BT-549 cells 72 h after knockdown has been initiated by GT468 specific siRNA duplexes. (B) Cell cycleanalysis of cells 72 h after initiation of GT468 silencing shown as barchart of cell fractions in different cell cycle states. (C) Apoptosis ofcells as determined by Annexin V staining 72 h after transfection withsiRNA. As positive control for Annexin V staining cells were treatedwith 6 μM Camptothecin for 12 h.

FIG. 5. GT468 is drugable by function-antagonizing antibodies.Proliferation analysis of MCF-7 and BT-549 cells after incubation withdifferent amounts of anti-GT468 antibody and control antibody (isotypecontrol) for 48 h.

FIG. 6. Cyclin D1 and AKT kinase are involved in GT468 function. (A)Quantitative real-time RT-PCR analysis and (B) western blot analysis ofcyclin D1 after cells were treated for 72 h with GT468 specific siRNAduplexes. Western blot analysis of AKT Ser473 phosphorylation after (C)72 h of GT468 knock down and after (D) 1 h of treatment withanti-GT468/C-term antibody.

FIG. 7. Peptide ELISA for determining the specificity of antibodiesraised against GT468 in hybridoma supernatants. Hybridoma supernatantsonly are reactive with peptides used for immunization.

FIG. 8. Staining of CHO cells transfected with a GT468-eGFP construct byhybridoma supernatants containing antibodies raised against GT468. Thehybridoma supernatants specifically stain cells expressing GT468-eGFP.

FIG. 9. GT468 is drugable by function-antagonizing monoclonalantibodies. Proliferation analysis of different cancer cell lines afterincubation with hybridoma supernatants for 72 h.

FIG. 10. Crude-lysate (CrELISA) (A) or peptide-specific ELISA (B) fordetermining the specificity of antibodies raised against GT468 inhybridoma supernatants. Hybridoma supernatants only are reactive withthe GT468 lysate (A) or the respective peptide used for immunization(B).

FIG. 11. Flow cytometric analysis for determining the specificity ofantibodies raised against GT468 in hybridoma supernatants. All hybridomasupernatants showed specific staining of GT468 transfected cells,whereas no staining was observed on mock transfected cells.

FIG. 12. Western blot for determining the specificity of antibodiesraised against GT468 in hybridoma supernatants. All hybridomasupernatants showed specific reactivity with lysates of HEK293 cellstransfected with GT468 pcDNA3.1 expression plasmid, whereas lysates ofmock transfeted cells showed no signal. The faint signal of hybridomasupernatant 23-33A-1 in the mock lysate is due to spillover of the HEKGT468 lysate.

FIG. 13. Peptide ELISA to identify antibody-binding epitopes in theGT468 protein. Hybridoma supernatants 22-1A-1, 23-33A-1, and 23-19A-1each showed binding to two overlapping peptides implying reactivity to alinear epitope of GT468. The binding patterns of 22-2A-1 and 22-9B-1imply reactivity to a conformational epitope (discontinous epitope) ofthe GT468 protein.

FIG. 14. GT468 is drugable by function-antagonizing monoclonalantibodies. Proliferation analysis of different cancer cell lines afterincubation with purified hybridoma supernatants for 72 h or 120 h.

FIG. 15. Flow cytometric analysis for determining the specificity ofantibodies raised against GT468 in hybridoma supernatants. Hybridomasupernatants showed specific staining of GT468aa116-212 transfectedcells, whereas no staining was observed on mock transfected cells.

FIG. 16A,B. Flow cytometric analysis for determining the specificbinding of the monoclonal antibodies to unfixed tumor cells endogenouslyexpressing GT468 (MCF-7, MDA-MB-468, and SK-BR-3 breast cancer cells).NUG-C4 gastric cancer cells not expressing GT468 were used as negativecontrol. The antibodies are capable of binding to GT468 expressing tumorcells.

FIG. 17. Western blot for determining the specificity of antibodiesraised against GT468 in hybridoma supernatants. All hybridomasupernatants showed specific reactivity with lysates of HEK293 cellstransfected with a GT468 expression plasmid, whereas lysates of mocktransfeted cells showed no signal.

FIG. 18. GT468 is drugable by function-antagonizing monoclonalantibodies. Proliferation analysis of different cancer cell lines afterincubation with purified hybridoma supernatants for 72 h.

FIG. 19. Clonogenic assay for analyzing the inhibitory activity ofmonoclonal antibodies to GT468 on colony formation of SK-BR-3 cellsendogenously expressing GT468. Incubating the cells with antibodyreduced or inhibited colony formation.

FIG. 20A-B. Quantification of GT468 expression in normal tissues usingreal-time RT-PCR. Tissues from three individuals were tested for eachnormal tissue type. Only trace amounts of GT468 transcripts could bedetected in normal tissues after 40 cycles of RT-PCR. The only normaltissue exceeding the expression cutoff (dashed line, mean expression ofall normal tissues+3 STDs (99% percentile)) were placenta and testis.Error bars, STD. In addition to breast cancer (see FIG. 1), highexpression of GT468 was found in samples from lung cancer, ovariancancer, gastric cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, renal cellcancer, hepatic cancer, sarcoma, thyroid cancer, and head and neckcancer.

FIG. 21. Western blot analysis of GT468 expression in cancer cell lines.GT468 expression was detected in HEK293 cells transfected with GT468expression plasmid (positive control), SK-BR-3 (breast cancer), BEWO(placental choriocarcinoma), JAR (placental choriocarcinoma), HCT-15(colon cancer), LnCaP (prostate cancer), HeLa (cervical cancer),MDA-MB-468 (breast cancer), JEG-3 (placental choriocarcinoma), JIMT-1(breast cancer), LA1-55n (Neuroblastoma), PC-3 (prostate cancer), BT-20(breast cancer), and NCI-H929 (myeloma). MelHO (malignant melanoma) andNUGC4 (gastric cancer) were tested negative.

FIG. 22. GT468 is drugable by function-antagonizing monoclonalantibodies. Proliferation analysis of GT468 positive MDA-MB-468 breastcancer cells and GT468 negative NUGC4 gastric cancer cells afterincubation with purified hybridoma supernatants for 72 h.

FIG. 23. Western blot for determining the specificity of antibodiesraised against GT468 in hybridoma supernatants. Hybridoma supernatantsshowed specific reactivity with lysates of HEK293 cells transfected witha GT468 expression plasmid, whereas lysates of mock transfeted cellsshowed no signal.

FIG. 24. Treatment with anti-GT468 monoclonal antibodies attenuates BEWOplacental choriocarcinoma xenogaft tumor growth in nude mice. Afterinjection of BEWO cells s.c. animals were treated with purifiedmonoclonal antibodies (200 μg) twice a week for 2 weeks.

FIG. 25. Peptide ELISA to identify antibody-binding epitopes in theGT468 protein.

Hybridoma supernatants 29-8B-1, 35-48B-1, 44-3A-2, 49-3A-1, 49-8A-1,51-1A-1, 53-13A-2, and 62-9B1 each showed binding to one or moreoverlapping peptides implying reactivity to a linear epitope of GT468.The binding patterns of 29-1A-2 and 54-4B-2 imply reactivity to aconformational epitope (discontinous epitope) of the GT468 protein.

FIG. 26. Treatment with anti-GT468 monoclonal antibodies significantlyimpairs metastatic spread of MCF-7 breast cancer cells in experimentalmetastasis assays. After injection of 1×10⁶ MCF-7 cells i.v. animalswere treated with purified monoclonal antibodies (200 μg) twice a week.Metastatic tumor load in the lungs of animals was determined 5 weeksafter inoculation by quantitative PCR using oligonucleotides specificfor human microsatellite DNA.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

In order that the present invention may be more readily understood,certain terms are first defined. Additional definitions are set forththroughout the detailed description.

The term “GT468” preferably relates to human GT468, and in particular to(i) a nucleic acid comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding the aminosequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 such as a nucleic acid comprising the nucleicacid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or (ii) a protein comprising the aminoacid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, and includes any variants of saidsequences, in particular mutants, splice variants, conformations,isoforms, allelic variants, species variants and species homologs, inparticular those which are naturally present. An allelic variant relatesto an alteration in the normal sequence of a gene, the significance ofwhich is often unclear. Complete gene sequencing often identifiesnumerous allelic variants for a given gene. A species homolog is anucleic acid or amino acid sequence with a different species of originfrom that of a given nucleic acid or amino acid sequence. The term“GT468” shall encompass (i) GT468 splice variants, (ii)GT468-posttranslationally modified variants, particularly includingvariants with different glycosylation such as N-glycosylation status,(iii) GT468 conformation variants, (iv) GT468 cancer related and GT468non-cancer related variants.

In one embodiment, the term “GT468” relates to the portion of GT468corresponding to the extracellular domain or ectodomain and preferablyrelates to the amino acid sequence of GT468 not including the N-terminalhydrophobic domain. The term “GT468” includes a protein comprising aminoacids 29 to 119, preferably amino acids 29 to 212 and more preferablyamino acids 23 to 212 of SEQ ID NO: 2 or the corresponding amino acidsof a variant of SEQ ID NO: 2.

According to the invention, the terms “extracellular domain” or“ectodomain” with respect to GT468 relate to the portion of GT468 whichis found in association with the surface of cells expressing GT468.Preferably, said “extracellular domain” or “ectodomain” is present inthe extracellular compartment. The GT468 “extracellular domain” or“ectodomain” preferably refers to the portion of full-length GT468 whichlacks the N-terminal hydrophobic domain. According to the invention, theterm “hydrophobic domain” with respect to GT468 relates to the portionof GT468 not being part of the extracellular domain and preferablyincluding a hydrophobic sequence located close to the N-terminus ofGT468. The “hydrophobic domain” of GT468 may include a sequencepreceding the hydrophobic sequence and being located at the N-terminalend of GT468. With respect to SEQ ID NO: 2, the N-terminal hydrophobicdomain preferably comprises amino acids 1 to 22. It will be understoodthat any hydrophobic domains or sequences identified for the GT468polypeptides of the present invention are identified pursuant tocriteria routinely employed in the art for identifying hydrophobicdomains or sequences. The exact boundaries of a hydrophobic domain mayvary but most likely by no more than about 5 amino acids at either endof the domain as initially identified herein. Optionally, therefore, anextracellular domain of a GT468 polypeptide may contain from about 5 orfewer amino acids on either side of the hydrophobic domain/extracellulardomain boundary as identified herein.

“Cell surface” is used in accordance with its normal meaning in the art,and thus includes the outside of the cell which is accessible to bindingby proteins and other molecules.

The expression “GT468 expressed on the surface of cells” means thatGT468 expressed by cells is found in association with the surface ofsaid cells.

GT468 is associated with the surface of cells if it is located at thesurface of said cells and is accessible to binding by GT468-specificantibodies added to the cells. In preferred embodiments, a cell beingcharacterized by association of GT468 with its cell surface is a cellexpressing GT468. It is to be understood that in the case where GT468 isexpressed by cells, the GT468 associated with the surface of said cellsmay only be a portion of the expressed GT468, in particular theextracellular domain thereof as defined above.

According to the invention GT468 is not substantially expressed in acell and/or is not substantially associated with a cell surface if thelevel of expression and/or association is lower compared to expressionand/or association in placenta cells or placenta tissue. Preferably, thelevel of expression and/or association is less than 10%, preferably lessthan 5%, 3%, 2%, 1%, 0.5%, 0.1% or 0.05% of the expression and/orassociation in placenta cells or placenta tissue or even lower.Preferably, GT468 is not substantially expressed in a cell and/or is notsubstantially associated with a cell surface if the level of expressionand/or association exceeds the level of expression and/or association innon-tumorigenic, non-cancerous tissue of one or more of brain, lung,breast, colon, liver, stomach, kidney, prostate, pancreas, ovary,spleen, skin, myocard, and endometrium by no more than 2-fold,preferably 1.5-fold, and preferably does not exceed the level ofexpression and/or association in said non-tumorigenic, non-canceroustissue(s). Preferably, GT468 is not substantially expressed in a celland/or is not substantially associated with a cell surface if the levelof expression or association is below the detection limit and/or if thelevel of expression or association is too low to allow binding byGT468-specific antibodies added to the cells.

According to the invention GT468 is expressed in a cell and/or isassociated with a cell surface if the level of expression and/orassociation exceeds the level of expression and/or association innon-tumorigenic, non-cancerous tissue of one or more of brain, lung,breast, colon, liver, stomach, kidney, prostate, pancreas, ovary,spleen, skin, myocard, and endometrium, preferably by more than 2-fold,preferably 10-fold, 100-fold, 1000-fold, or 10000-fold. Preferably,GT468 is expressed in a cell and/or is associated with a cell surface ifthe level of expression or association is above the detection limitand/or if the level of expression or association is high enough to allowbinding by GT468-specific antibodies added to the cells. Preferably,GT468 expressed in a cell is expressed or exposed on the surface of saidcell.

The term “raft” refers to the sphingolipid- and cholesterol-richmembrane microdomains located in the outer leaflet area of the plasmamembrane of a cell. The ability of certain proteins to associate withinsuch domains and their ability of forming “aggregates” or “focalaggregates” can effect the protein's function. For example, thetranslocation of GT468 molecules into such structures, after being boundby antibodies of the present invention, creates a high density of GT468antigen-antibody complexes in the plasma membranes. Such a high densityof GT468 antigen-antibody complexes can enable efficient activation ofthe complement system during CDC.

According to the invention, the term “disease” refers to anypathological state, including cancer, in particular those forms ofcancer described herein.

“Diseases associated with cells expressing GT468 and/or beingcharacterized by association of GT468 with their cell surface” meansaccording to the invention that expression and/or association in cellsof a diseased tissue or organ is preferably increased compared to thestate in a healthy tissue or organ. An increase refers to an increase byat least 10%, in particular at least 20%, at least 50%, at least 100%,at least 200%, at least 500%, at least 1000%, at least 10000% or evenmore. In one embodiment, expression and/or association with the cellsurface is only found in a diseased tissue, while expression in ahealthy tissue is repressed. According to the invention, diseasesassociated with cells expressing GT468 and/or being characterized byassociation of GT468 with their cell surface include tumor diseases suchas cancer diseases. Furthermore, according to the invention, tumordiseases such as cancer diseases preferably are those wherein the tumorcells or cancer cells express GT468 and/or are characterized byassociation of GT468 with their cell surface.

As used herein, a “tumor disease”, “tumor-related disease” or“tumorigenic disease” includes a disease characterized by aberrantlyregulated cellular growth, proliferation, differentiation, adhesion,and/or migration, which may result in the production of or tendency toproduce tumors and/or tumor metastasis. By “tumor cell” is meant anabnormal cell that grows by a rapid, uncontrolled cellular proliferationand continues to grow after the stimuli that initiated the new growthcease.

By “tumor” is meant an abnormal group of cells or a tissue growing by arapid, uncontrolled cellular proliferation and continues to grow afterthe stimuli that initiated the new growth cease. Tumors show partial orcomplete lack of structural organization and functional coordinationwith the normal tissue, and usually form a distinct mass of tissue,which may be either benign, pre-malignant or malignant.

Preferably, a “tumor disease”, “tumor-related disease” or “tumorigenicdisease” according to the invention is a cancer disease, i.e. amalignant disease and a tumor cell is a cancer cell. Preferably, a“tumor disease”, “tumor-related disease” or “tumorigenic disease” ischaracterized by cells expressing GT468 and/or being characterized byassociation of GT468 with their cell surface and a tumor cell expressesGT468 and/or is characterized by association of GT468 with its cellsurface.

A cell expressing GT468 and/or being characterized by association ofGT468 with its cell surface preferably is a tumor cell or cancer cell,preferably of the tumors and cancers described herein. Preferably, suchcell is a cell other than a placental cell and/or testis cell.

Preferred cancer diseases or cancers according to the invention areselected from the group consisting of breast cancer, lung cancer,gastric cancer, ovarian cancer, hepatocellular cancer, colon cancer,pancreatic cancer, esophageal cancer, head & neck cancer, kidney cancer,in particular renal cell carcinoma, prostate cancer, liver cancer,melanoma, sarcoma, myeloma, neuroblastoma, placental choriocarcinoma,cervical cancer, and thyroid cancer, and the metastatic forms thereof.In one embodiment, the cancer disease is selected from the groupconsisting of metastatic cancer in the lung.

According to the invention, a “carcinoma” is a cancer that begins in thelining layer (epithelial cells) of organs.

Choriocarcinoma is a malignant, trophoblastic and aggressive cancer,usually of the placenta. It is characterized by early hematogenousspread to the lungs.

A sarcoma is a cancer of the connective tissue (bone, cartilage, fat)resulting in mesoderm proliferation. This is in contrast to carcinomas,which are of epithelial origin.

Renal cell carcinoma also known as renal cell cancer or renal celladenocarcinoma is a kidney cancer that originates in the lining of theproximal convoluted tubule, the very small tubes in the kidney thatfilter the blood and remove waste products. Renal cell carcinoma is byfar the most common type of kidney cancer in adults and the most lethalof all the genitourinary tumors. Distinct subtypes of renal cellcarcinoma are clear cell renal cell carcinoma and papillary renal cellcarcinoma. Clear cell renal cell carcinoma is the most common form ofrenal cell carcinoma. When seen under a microscope, the cells that makeup clear cell renal cell carcinoma appear very pale or clear. Papillaryrenal cell carcinoma is the second most common subtype. These cancersform little finger-like projections (called papillae) in some, if notmost, of the tumors.

By “metastasis” is meant the spread of cancer cells from its originalsite to another part of the body. The formation of metastasis is a verycomplex process and depends on detachment of malignant cells from theprimary tumor, invasion of the extracellular matrix, penetration of theendothelial basement membranes to enter the body cavity and vessels, andthen, after being transported by the blood, infiltration of targetorgans. Finally, the growth of a new tumor at the target site depends onangiogenesis. Tumor metastasis often occurs even after the removal ofthe primary tumor because tumor cells or components may remain anddevelop metastatic potential. In one embodiment, the term “metastasis”according to the invention relates to “distant metastasis” which relatesto a metastasis which is remote from the primary tumor and the regionallymph node system.

The cells of a secondary or metastatic tumor are like those in theoriginal tumor. This means, for example, that, if ovarian cancermetastasizes to the liver, the secondary tumor is made up of abnormalovarian cells, not of abnormal liver cells. The tumor in the liver isthen called metastatic ovarian cancer, not liver cancer.

The term “treatment of a disease” includes curing, shortening theduration, ameliorating, preventing, slowing down or inhibitingprogression or worsening, or preventing or delaying the onset of adisease or the symptoms thereof.

The term “patient” means according to the invention a human being, anonhuman primate or another animal, in particular a mammal such as acow, horse, pig, sheep, goat, dog, cat or a rodent such as a mouse andrat. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the patient is a humanbeing.

According to the invention, a sample may be any sample useful accordingto the present invention, in particular a biological sample such atissue sample, including bodily fluids, and/or a cellular sample and maybe obtained in the conventional manner such as by tissue biopsy,including punch biopsy, and by taking blood, bronchial aspirate, sputum,urine, feces or other body fluids. According to the invention, the term“biological sample” also includes fractions of biological samples.

The term “antibody” refers to a glycoprotein comprising at least twoheavy (H) chains and two light (L) chains inter-connected by disulfidebonds, or an antigen binding portion thereof. The term “antibody” alsoincludes all recombinant forms of antibodies, in particular of theantibodies described herein, e.g., antibodies expressed in prokaryotes,unglycosylated antibodies, and any antigen-binding antibody fragmentsand derivatives as described herein. Each heavy chain is comprised of aheavy chain variable region (abbreviated herein as VH) and a heavy chainconstant region. Each light chain is comprised of a light chain variableregion (abbreviated herein as VL) and a light chain constant region. TheVH and VL regions can be further subdivided into regions ofhypervariability, termed complementarity determining regions (CDR),interspersed with regions that are more conserved, termed frameworkregions (FR). Each VH and VL is composed of three CDRs and four FRs,arranged from amino-terminus to carboxy-terminus in the following order:FR1, CDR1, FR2, CDR2, FR3, CDR3, FR4. The variable regions of the heavyand light chains contain a binding domain that interacts with anantigen. The constant regions of the antibodies may mediate the bindingof the immunoglobulin to host tissues or factors, including variouscells of the immune system (e.g., effector cells) and the firstcomponent (C1q) of the classical complement system.

The term “humanized antibody” refers to a molecule having an antigenbinding site that is substantially derived from an immunoglobulin from anon-human species, wherein the remaining immunoglobulin structure of themolecule is based upon the structure and/or sequence of a humanimmunoglobulin. The antigen binding site may either comprise completevariable domains fused onto constant domains or only the complementaritydetermining regions (CDR) grafted onto appropriate framework regions inthe variable domains. Antigen binding sites may be wild-type or modifiedby one or more amino acid substitutions, e.g. modified to resemble humanimmunoglobulins more closely. Some forms of humanized antibodiespreserve all CDR sequences (for example a humanized mouse antibody whichcontains all six CDRs from the mouse antibody). Other forms have one ormore CDRs which are altered with respect to the original antibody.

The term “chimeric antibody” refers to those antibodies wherein oneportion of each of the amino acid sequences of heavy and light chains ishomologous to corresponding sequences in antibodies derived from aparticular species or belonging to a particular class, while theremaining segment of the chain is homologous to corresponding sequencesin another. Typically the variable region of both light and heavy chainsmimics the variable regions of antibodies derived from one species ofmammals, while the constant portions are homologous to sequences ofantibodies derived from another. One clear advantage to such chimericforms is that the variable region can conveniently be derived frompresently known sources using readily available B-cells or hybridomasfrom non-human host organisms in combination with constant regionsderived from, for example, human cell preparations. While the variableregion has the advantage of ease of preparation and the specificity isnot affected by the source, the constant region being human, is lesslikely to elicit an immune response from a human subject when theantibodies are injected than would the constant region from a non humansource. However the definition is not limited to this particularexample.

The term “antigen-binding portion” of an antibody (or simply “bindingportion”), as used herein, refers to one or more fragments of anantibody that retain the ability to specifically bind to an antigen. Ithas been shown that the antigen-binding function of an antibody can beperformed by fragments of a full-length antibody. Examples of bindingfragments encompassed within the term “antigen-binding portion” of anantibody include (i) Fab fragments, monovalent fragments consisting ofthe VL, VH, CL and CH domains; (ii) F(ab′)₂ fragments, bivalentfragments comprising two Fab fragments linked by a disulfide bridge atthe hinge region; (iii) Fd fragments consisting of the VH and CHdomains; (iv) Fv fragments consisting of the VL and VH domains of asingle arm of an antibody, (v) dAb fragments (Ward et al., (1989) Nature341: 544-546), which consist of a VH domain; (vi) isolatedcomplementarity determining regions (CDR), and (vii) combinations of twoor more isolated CDRs which may optionally be joined by a syntheticlinker. Furthermore, although the two domains of the Fv fragment, VL andVH, are coded for by separate genes, they can be joined, usingrecombinant methods, by a synthetic linker that enables them to be madeas a single protein chain in which the VL and VH regions pair to formmonovalent molecules (known as single chain Fv (scFv); see e.g., Bird etal. (1988) Science 242: 423-426; and Huston et al. (1988) Proc. Natl.Acad. Sci. USA 85: 5879-5883). Such single chain antibodies are alsointended to be encompassed within the term “antigen-binding portion” ofan antibody. A further example is binding-domain immunoglobulin fusionproteins comprising (i) a binding domain polypeptide that is fused to animmunoglobulin hinge region polypeptide, (ii) an immunoglobulin heavychain CH₂ constant region fused to the hinge region, and (iii) animmunoglobulin heavy chain CH₃ constant region fused to the CH₂ constantregion. The binding domain polypeptide can be a heavy chain variableregion or a light chain variable region. The binding-domainimmunoglobulin fusion proteins are further disclosed in US 2003/0118592and US 2003/0133939. These antibody fragments are obtained usingconventional techniques known to those with skill in the art, and thefragments are screened for utility in the same manner as are intactantibodies.

The term “epitope” means a protein determinant capable of binding to anantibody, wherein the term “binding” herein preferably relates to aspecific binding. Epitopes usually consist of chemically active surfacegroupings of molecules such as amino acids or sugar side chains andusually have specific three dimensional structural characteristics, aswell as specific charge characteristics. Conformational andnon-conformational epitopes are distinguished in that the binding to theformer but not the latter is lost in the presence of denaturingsolvents.

The term “discontinuous epitope” as used herein, means a conformationalepitope on a protein antigen which is formed from at least two separateregions in the primary sequence of the protein.

The term “bispecific molecule” is intended to include any agent, e.g., aprotein, peptide, or protein or peptide complex, which has two differentbinding specificities. For example, the molecule may bind to, orinteract with (a) a cell surface antigen, and (b) an Fc receptor on thesurface of an effector cell. The term “multispecific molecule” or“heterospecific molecule” is intended to include any agent, e.g., aprotein, peptide, or protein or peptide complex, which has more than twodifferent binding specificities. For example, the molecule may bind to,or interact with (a) a cell surface antigen, (b) an Fc receptor on thesurface of an effector cell, and (c) at least one other component.Accordingly, the invention includes, but is not limited to, bispecific,trispecific, tetraspecific, and other multispecific molecules which aredirected to GT468, and to other targets, such as Fc receptors oneffector cells. The term “bispecific antibodies” also includesdiabodies. Diabodies are bivalent, bispecific antibodies in which the VHand VL domains are expressed on a single polypeptide chain, but using alinker that is too short to allow for pairing between the two domains onthe same chain, thereby forcing the domains to pair with complementarydomains of another chain and creating two antigen binding sites (seee.g., Holliger, P., et al. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:6444-6448; Poljak, R. J., et al. (1994) Structure 2: 1121-1123).

The invention also includes derivatives of the antibodies describedherein which for the purposes of the invention are encompassed by theterm “antibody”. The term “antibody derivatives” refers to any modifiedform of an antibody, e.g., a conjugate of the antibody and another agentor antibody. As used herein, an antibody is “derived from” a particulargermline sequence if the antibody is obtained from a system byimmunizing an animal or by screening an immunoglobulin gene library, andwherein the selected antibody is at least 90%, more preferably at least95%, even more preferably at least 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% identical inamino acid sequence to the amino acid sequence encoded by the germlineimmunoglobulin gene. Typically, an antibody derived from a particulargermline sequence will display no more than 10 amino acid differences,more preferably, no more than 5, or even more preferably, no more than4, 3, 2, or 1 amino acid difference from the amino acid sequence encodedby the germline immunoglobulin gene.

As used herein, the term “heteroantibodies” refers to two or moreantibodies, derivatives thereof, or antigen binding regions linkedtogether, at least two of which have different specificities. Thesedifferent specificities include a binding specificity for an Fc receptoron an effector cell, and a binding specificity for an antigen or epitopeon a target cell, e.g., a tumor cell.

The antibodies described herein may be human antibodies. The term “humanantibody”, as used herein, is intended to include antibodies havingvariable and constant regions derived from human germline immunoglobulinsequences. The human antibodies of the invention may include amino acidresidues not encoded by human germline immunoglobulin sequences (e.g.,mutations introduced by random or site-specific mutagenesis in vitro orby somatic mutation in vivo).

The term “monoclonal antibody” as used herein refers to a preparation ofantibody molecules of single molecular composition. A monoclonalantibody displays a single binding specificity and affinity for aparticular epitope. In one embodiment, the monoclonal antibodies areproduced by a hybridoma which includes a B cell obtained from anon-human animal, e.g., mouse, fused to an immortalized cell.

The term “recombinant antibody”, as used herein, includes all antibodiesthat are prepared, expressed, created or isolated by recombinant means,such as (a) antibodies isolated from an animal (e.g., a mouse) that istransgenic or transchromosomal with respect to the immunoglobulin genesor a hybridoma prepared therefrom, (b) antibodies isolated from a hostcell transformed to express the antibody, e.g., from a transfectoma, (c)antibodies isolated from a recombinant, combinatorial antibody library,and (d) antibodies prepared, expressed, created or isolated by any othermeans that involve splicing of immunoglobulin gene sequences to otherDNA sequences.

The term “transfectoma”, as used herein, includes recombinant eukaryotichost cells expressing an antibody, such as CHO cells, NS/0 cells, HEK293cells, HEK293T cells, plant cells, or fungi, including yeast cells.

As used herein, a “heterologous antibody” is defined in relation to atransgenic organism producing such an antibody. This term refers to anantibody having an amino acid sequence or an encoding nucleic acidsequence corresponding to that found in an organism not consisting ofthe transgenic organism, and being generally derived from a speciesother than the transgenic organism.

As used herein, a “heterohybrid antibody” refers to an antibody havinglight and heavy chains of different organismal origins. For example, anantibody having a human heavy chain associated with a murine light chainis a heterohybrid antibody.

The antibodies described herein are preferably isolated. An “isolatedantibody” as used herein, is intended to refer to an antibody which issubstantially free of other antibodies having different antigenicspecificities (e.g., an isolated antibody that specifically binds toGT468 is substantially free of antibodies that specifically bindantigens other than GT468). An isolated antibody that specifically bindsto an epitope, isoform or variant of human GT468 may, however, havecross-reactivity to other related antigens, e.g., from other species(e.g., GT468 species homologs). Moreover, an isolated antibody may besubstantially free of other cellular material and/or chemicals. In oneembodiment of the invention, a combination of “isolated” monoclonalantibodies relates to antibodies having different specificities andbeing combined in a well defined composition.

The term “binding” according to the invention preferably relates to aspecific binding. “Specific binding” means that an agent such as anantibody binds stronger to a (predetermined) target such as an antigenor an epitope for which it is specific compared to the binding toanother target. An agent binds stronger to a first target compared to asecond target if it binds to the first target with a dissociationconstant (K_(D)) which is lower than the dissociation constant for thesecond target. Preferably the dissociation constant (K_(D)) for thetarget to which the agent binds specifically is more than 10-fold,preferably more than 20-fold, more preferably more than 50-fold, evenmore preferably more than 100-fold, 200-fold, 500-fold or 1000-foldlower than the dissociation constant (K_(D)) for the target to which theagent does not bind specifically. Typically, the antibody binds with anaffinity corresponding to a KD of about 1×10⁻⁷ M or less, and binds tothe predetermined antigen with an affinity corresponding to a KD that isat least two orders of magnitude lower than its affinity for binding toa non-specific antigen (e.g., BSA, casein) other than the predeterminedantigen or a closely-related antigen.

The term “KD” (M), as used herein, is intended to refer to thedissociation equilibrium constant of a particular antibody-antigeninteraction.

As used herein, “isotype” refers to the antibody class (e.g., IgM orIgG1) that is encoded by heavy chain constant region genes.

As used herein, “isotype switching” refers to the phenomenon by whichthe class, or isotype, of an antibody changes from one Ig class to oneof the other Ig classes.

The term “naturally occurring” as used herein as applied to an objectrefers to the fact that an object can be found in nature. For example, apolypeptide or polynucleotide sequence that is present in an organism(including viruses) that can be isolated from a source in nature andwhich has not been intentionally modified by man in the laboratory isnaturally occurring.

The term “rearranged” as used herein refers to a configuration of aheavy chain or light chain immunoglobulin locus wherein a V segment ispositioned immediately adjacent to a D-J or J segment in a conformationencoding essentially a complete VH or VL domain, respectively. Arearranged immunoglobulin (antibody) gene locus can be identified bycomparison to germline DNA; a rearranged locus will have at least onerecombined heptamer/nonamer homology element.

The term “unrearranged” or “germline configuration” as used herein inreference to a V segment refers to the configuration wherein the Vsegment is not recombined so as to be immediately adjacent to a D or Jsegment.

The term “nucleic acid molecule”, as used herein, is intended to includeDNA molecules and RNA molecules. A nucleic acid molecule may besingle-stranded or double-stranded, but preferably is double-strandedDNA.

The nucleic acids described according to the invention have preferablybeen isolated. The term “isolated nucleic acid” means according to theinvention that the nucleic acid was (i) amplified in vitro, for exampleby polymerase chain reaction (PCR), (ii) recombinantly produced bycloning, (iii) purified, for example by cleavage and gel-electrophoreticfractionation, or (iv) synthesized, for example by chemical synthesis.An isolated nucleic acid is a nucleic acid which is available formanipulation by recombinant DNA techniques.

Nucleic acids may, according to the invention, be present alone or incombination with other nucleic acids, which may be homologous orheterologous. In preferred embodiments, a nucleic acid is functionallylinked to expression control sequences which may be homologous orheterologous with respect to said nucleic acid wherein the term“homologous” means that the nucleic acid is also functionally linked tothe expression control sequence naturally and the term “heterologous”means that the nucleic acid is not functionally linked to the expressioncontrol sequence naturally.

A nucleic acid, such as a nucleic acid expressing RNA and/or protein orpeptide, and an expression control sequence are “functionally” linked toone another, if they are covalently linked to one another in such a waythat expression or transcription of said nucleic acid is under thecontrol or under the influence of said expression control sequence. Ifthe nucleic acid is to be translated into a functional protein, then,with an expression control sequence functionally linked to a codingsequence, induction of said expression control sequence results intranscription of said nucleic acid, without causing a frame shift in thecoding sequence or said coding sequence not being capable of beingtranslated into the desired protein or peptide.

The term “expression control sequence” comprises according to theinvention promoters, ribosome binding sites, enhancers and other controlelements which regulate transcription of a gene or translation of amRNA. In particular embodiments of the invention, the expression controlsequences can be regulated. The exact structure of expression controlsequences may vary as a function of the species or cell type, butgenerally comprises 5′-untranscribed and 5′- and 3′-untranslatedsequences which are involved in initiation of transcription andtranslation, respectively, such as TATA box, capping sequence, CAATsequence, and the like. More specifically, 5′-untranscribed expressioncontrol sequences comprise a promoter region which includes a promotersequence for transcriptional control of the functionally linked nucleicacid. Expression control sequences may also comprise enhancer sequencesor upstream activator sequences.

According to the invention the term “promoter” or “promoter region”relates to a nucleic acid sequence which is located upstream (5′) to thenucleic acid sequence being expressed and controls expression of thesequence by providing a recognition and binding site for RNA-polymerase.The “promoter region” may include further recognition and binding sitesfor further factors which are involved in the regulation oftranscription of a gene. A promoter may control the transcription of aprokaryotic or eukaryotic gene. Furthermore, a promoter may be“inducible” and may initiate transcription in response to an inducingagent or may be “constitutive” if transcription is not controlled by aninducing agent. A gene which is under the control of an induciblepromoter is not expressed or only expressed to a small extent if aninducing agent is absent. In the presence of the inducing agent the geneis switched on or the level of transcription is increased. This ismediated, in general, by binding of a specific transcription factor.

Promoters which are preferred according to the invention includepromoters for SP6, T3 and T7 polymerase, human U6 RNA promoter, CMVpromoter, and artificial hybrid promoters thereof (e.g. CMV) where apart or parts are fused to a part or parts of promoters of genes ofother cellular proteins such as e.g. human GAPDH(glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase), and including or notincluding (an) additional intron(s).

According to the invention, the term “expression” is used in its mostgeneral meaning and comprises the production of RNA or of RNA andprotein/peptide. It also comprises partial expression of nucleic acids.Furthermore, expression may be carried out transiently or stably.

In a preferred embodiment, a nucleic acid molecule is according to theinvention present in a vector, where appropriate with a promoter, whichcontrols expression of the nucleic acid. The term “vector” is used herein its most general meaning and comprises any intermediary vehicle for anucleic acid which enables said nucleic acid, for example, to beintroduced into prokaryotic and/or eukaryotic cells and, whereappropriate, to be integrated into a genome. Vectors of this kind arepreferably replicated and/or expressed in the cells. Vectors compriseplasmids, phagemids, bacteriophages or viral genomes. The term “plasmid”as used herein generally relates to a construct of extrachromosomalgenetic material, usually a circular DNA duplex, which can replicateindependently of chromosomal DNA.

As the vector for expression of an antibody, either of a vector type inwhich the antibody heavy chain and light chain are present in differentvectors or a vector type in which the heavy chain and light chain arepresent in the same vector can be used.

The teaching given herein with respect to specific nucleic acid andamino acid sequences, e.g. those shown in the sequence listing, is to beconstrued so as to also relate to modifications of said specificsequences resulting in sequences which are functionally equivalent tosaid specific sequences, e.g. amino acid sequences exhibiting propertiesidentical or similar to those of the specific amino acid sequences andnucleic acid sequences encoding amino acid sequences exhibitingproperties identical or similar to those of the amino acid sequencesencoded by the specific nucleic acid sequences. Similarity, the teachinggiven herein with respect to specific antibodies or hybridomas producingspecific antibodies is to be construed so as to also relate toantibodies characterized by an amino acid sequence and/or nucleic acidsequence which is modified compared to the amino acid sequence and/ornucleic acid sequence of the specific antibodies but being functionallyequivalent. One important property is to retain binding of an antibodyto its target or to sustain effector functions of an antibody.Preferably, a sequence modified with respect to a specific sequence,when it replaces the specific sequence in an antibody retains binding ofsaid antibody to GT468 and preferably functions of said antibody asdescribed herein, e.g. CDC mediated lysis or ADCC mediated lysis.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that in particularthe sequences of the CDR, hypervariable and variable regions can bemodified without losing the ability to bind GT468.

For example, CDR regions will be either identical or highly homologousto the regions of antibodies specified herein. By “highly homologous” itis contemplated that from 1 to 5, preferably from 1 to 4, such as 1 to 3or 1 or 2 substitutions may be made in the CDRs. In addition, thehypervariable and variable regions may be modified so that they showsubstantial homology with the regions of antibodies specificallydisclosed herein.

It is to be understood that the specific nucleic acids described hereinalso include nucleic acids modified for the sake of optimizing the codonusage in a particular host cell or organism. Differences in codon usageamong organisms can lead to a variety of problems concerningheterologous gene expression. Codon optimization by changing one or morenucleotides of the original sequence can result in an optimization ofthe expression of a nucleic acid, in particular in optimization oftranslation efficacy, in a homologous or heterologous host in which saidnucleic acid is to be expressed. For example if nucleic acids derivedfrom human and encoding constant regions and/or framework regions ofantibodies are to be used according to the present invention, e.g. forpreparing chimeric or humanised antibodies, it may be preferred tomodify said nucleic acids for the sake of optimization of codon usage,in particular if said nucleic acids, optionally fused to heterologousnucleic acids such as nucleic acids derived from other organisms asdescribed herein, are to be expressed in cells from an organismdifferent from human such as mouse or hamster. For example, the nucleicacid sequences encoding human light and heavy chain constant regionssuch as those according to SEQ ID NOs: 19 and 20, respectively, can bemodified to include one or more, preferably, at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10,15, 20 and preferably up to 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 50, 70 or 100 or morenucleotide replacements resulting in an optimized codon usage but notresulting in a change of the amino acid sequence. Such nucleotidereplacements preferably relate to replacements of nucleotides in SEQ IDNos: 19 and 20, respectively, selected from the replacements shown inthe following alignment of SEQ ID Nos: 19 and 20, respectively, withtheir modified counterparts and not resulting in a change in the encodedamino acid sequence or relate to corresponding replacements atcorresponding positions in other nucleic acid sequences encoding humanlight and heavy chain constant regions, respectively. Preferably, all ofthe replacements shown in the following alignments of SEQ ID Nos: 19 and20, respectively, with their modified counterparts not resulting in achange in the encoded amino acid sequence are effected in nucleic acidsequences encoding human light and heavy chain constant regions,respectively.

Alignment of SEQ ID NO: 19 and SEQ ID NO: 21:

Alignment of SEQ ID NO: 20 and SEQ ID NO: 23:

Furthermore, it may be desired according to the present invention tomodify the amino acid sequences described herein, in particular those ofhuman heavy chain constant regions to adapt the sequence to a desiredallotype, e.g. an allotype found in the Caucasian population. Suchmodifications are preferably selected from the group consisting of thefollowing amino acid replacments within SEQ ID NO: 17 or atcorresponding positions within other human heavy chain constant regions:K93R, D235E, and L237M. Preferably, all of these modifications areincluded in amino acid sequences of human heavy chain constant regions.

According the invention, the term “corresponding positions” relates tonucleotides or amino acid residues which in a sequence alignment of twonucleic acid or protein sequences are aligned to each other.

According to the invention, a variant, derivative, modified form orfragment of a nucleic acid sequence, amino acid sequence, or peptidepreferably has a functional property of the nucleic acid sequence, aminoacid sequence, or peptide, respectively, from which it has been derived.Such functional properties comprise the interaction with or binding toother molecules. In one embodiment, a variant, derivative, modified formor fragment of a nucleic acid sequence, amino acid sequence, or peptideis immunologically equivalent to the nucleic acid sequence, amino acidsequence, or peptide, respectively, from which it has been derived.

Preferably the degree of identity between a specific nucleic acidsequence and a nucleic acid sequence which is modified with respect toor which is a variant of said specific nucleic acid sequence will be atleast 70%, preferably at least 75%, more preferably at least 80%, evenmore preferably at least 90% or most preferably at least 95%, 96%, 97%,98% or 99%. Regarding GT468 nucleic acid variants, the degree ofidentity is preferably given for a region of at least about 300, atleast about 400, at least about 450, at least about 500, at least about550, at least about 600 or at least about 630 nucleotides. In preferredembodiments, the degree of identity is given for the entire length ofthe reference nucleic acid sequence, such as the nucleic acid sequencesgiven in the sequence listing. Preferably, the two sequences are capableof hybridizing and forming a stable duplex with one another, withhybridization preferably being carried out under conditions which allowspecific hybridization between polynucleotides (stringent conditions).Stringent conditions are described, for example, in Molecular Cloning: ALaboratory Manual, J. Sambrook et al., Editors, 2nd Edition, Cold SpringHarbor Laboratory press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989 or CurrentProtocols in Molecular Biology, F. M. Ausubel et al., Editors, JohnWiley & Sons, Inc., New York and refer, for example, to hybridization at65° C. in hybridization buffer (3.5×SSC, 0.02% Ficoll, 0.02%polyvinylpyrrolidone, 0.02% bovine serum albumin, 2.5 mM NaH₂PO₄ (pH 7),0.5% SDS, 2 mM EDTA). SSC is 0.15 M sodium chloride/0.15 M sodiumcitrate, pH 7. After hybridization, the membrane to which the DNA hasbeen transferred is washed, for example, in 2×SSC at room temperatureand then in 0.1-0.5×SSC/0.1×SDS at temperatures of up to 68° C.

For the purposes of the present invention, “variants” of an amino acidsequence comprise amino acid insertion variants, amino acid deletionvariants and/or amino acid substitution variants.

Preferably the degree of similarity, preferably identity between aspecific amino acid sequence and an amino acid sequence which ismodified with respect to or which is a variant of said specific aminoacid sequence such as between amino acid sequences showing substantialhomology will be at least 70%, preferably at least 80%, even morepreferably at least 90% or most preferably at least 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%or 99%. Regarding GT468 polypeptide variants, the degree of similarityor identity is given preferably for a region of at least about 100, atleast about 120, at least about 140, at least about 160, at least about180, at least about 200, at least about 210 or 212 amino acids. Inpreferred embodiments, the degree of similarity or identity is given forthe entire length of the reference amino acid sequence such as the aminoacid sequences given in the sequence listing.

All of the above described modified sequences or sequence variants arewithin the scope of the present invention.

“Sequence similarity” indicates the percentage of amino acids thateither are identical or that represent conservative amino acidsubstitutions. “Sequence identity” between two polypeptide or nucleicacid sequences indicates the percentage of amino acids or nucleotidesthat are identical between the sequences.

The “percentage identity” is obtained after the best alignment, thispercentage being purely statistical and the differences between the twosequences being distributed randomly and over their entire length.Sequence comparisons between two nucleotide or amino acid sequences areconventionally carried out by comparing these sequences after havingaligned them optimally, said comparison being carried out by segment orby “window of comparison” in order to identify and compare local regionsof sequence similarity. The optimal alignment of the sequences forcomparison may be produced, besides manually, by means of the localhomology algorithm of Smith and Waterman, 1981, Ads App. Math. 2, 482,by means of the local homology algorithm of Neddleman and Wunsch, 1970,J. Mol. Biol. 48, 443, by means of the similarity search method ofPearson and Lipman, 1988, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85, 2444, or bymeans of computer programs which use these algorithms (GAP, BESTFIT,FASTA, BLAST P, BLAST N and TFASTA in Wisconsin Genetics SoftwarePackage, Genetics Computer Group, 575 Science Drive, Madison, Wis.).

The percentage identity is calculated by determining the number ofidentical positions between the two sequences being compared, dividingthis number by the number of positions compared and multiplying theresult obtained by 100 so as to obtain the percentage identity betweenthese two sequences.

“Conservative substitutions,” may be made, for instance, on the basis ofsimilarity in polarity, charge, solubility, hydrophobicity,hydrophilicity, and/or the amphipathic nature of the residues involved.For example: (a) nonpolar (hydrophobic) amino acids include alanine,leucine, isoleucine, valine, proline, phenylalanine, tryptophan, andmethionine; (b) polar neutral amino acids include glycine, serine,threonine, cysteine, tyrosine, asparagine, and glutamine; (c) positivelycharged (basic) amino acids include arginine, lysine, and histidine; and(d) negatively charged (acidic) amino acids include aspartic acid andglutamic acid. Substitutions typically may be made within groups(a)-(d). In addition, glycine and proline may be substituted for oneanother based on their ability to disrupt α-helices. Some preferredsubstitutions may be made among the following groups: (i) S and T; (ii)P and G; and (iii) A, V, L and I. Given the known genetic code, andrecombinant and synthetic DNA techniques, the skilled scientist readilycan construct DNAs encoding the conservative amino acid variants.

The present invention comprises antibodies in which alterations havebeen made in the Fc region in order to change the functional orpharmacokinetic properties of the antibodies. Such alterations mayresult in a decrease or increase of C1q binding and CDC or of FcγRbinding and ADCC. Substitutions can, for example, be made in one or moreof the amino acid residues of the heavy chain constant region, therebycausing an alteration in an effector function while retaining theability to bind to the antigen as compared with the modified antibody,cf. U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,821 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,648,260.

The in vivo half-life of antibodies can be improved by modifying thesalvage receptor epitope of the Ig constant domain or an Ig-likeconstant domain such that the molecule does not comprise an intact CH2domain or an intact Ig Fc region, cf. U.S. Pat. No. 6,121,022 and U.S.Pat. No. 6,194,551. The in vivo half-life can furthermore be increasedby making mutations in the Fc region, e.g., by substituting threoninefor leucine at position 252, by substituting threonine for serine atposition 254, or by substituting threonine for phenylalanine at position256, cf. U.S. Pat. No. 6,277,375.

Furthermore, the glycosylation pattern of antibodies can be modified inorder to change the effector function of the antibodies. For example,the antibodies can be expressed in a transfectoma which does not add thefucose unit normally attached to Asn at position 297 of the Fc region inorder to enhance the affinity of the Fc region for Fc-Receptors which,in turn, will result in an increased ADCC of the antibodies in thepresence of NK cells, cf. Shield et al. (2002) JBC, 277: 26733.Furthermore, modification of galactosylation can be made in order tomodify CDC.

Alternatively, in another embodiment, mutations can be introducedrandomly along all or part of a anti-GT468 antibody coding sequence,such as by saturation mutagenesis, and the resulting modified anti-GT468antibodies can be screened for binding activity.

The term “recombinant host cell” (or simply “host cell”), as usedherein, is intended to refer to a cell into which a recombinantexpression vector has been introduced. It should be understood that suchterms are intended to refer not only to the particular subject cell butto the progeny of such a cell. Because certain modifications may occurin succeeding generations due to either mutation or environmentalinfluences, such progeny may not, in fact, be identical to the parentcell, but are still included within the scope of the term “host cell” asused herein. Recombinant host cells include, for example, transfectomas,such as CHO cells, NS/0 cells, and lymphocytic cells.

As used herein, the term “subject” includes any human or non-humananimal. The term “non-human animal” includes all vertebrates, e.g.,mammals and non-mammals, such as non-human primates, sheep, dog, cow,chickens, amphibians, reptiles, etc.

The terms “transgenic animal” refers to an animal having a genomecomprising one or more transgenes, preferably heavy and/or light chaintransgenes, or transchromosomes (either integrated or non-integratedinto the animal's natural genomic DNA) and which is preferably capableof expressing the transgenes. For example, a transgenic mouse can have ahuman light chain transgene and either a human heavy chain transgene orhuman heavy chain transchromosome, such that the mouse produces humananti-GT468 antibodies when immunized with GT468 antigen and/or cellsexpressing GT468. The human heavy chain transgene can be integrated intothe chromosomal DNA of the mouse, as is the case for transgenic mice,e.g., HuMAb mice, such as HCo7 or HCo12 mice, or the human heavy chaintransgene can be maintained extrachromosomally, as is the case fortranschromosomal (e.g., KM) mice as described in WO 02/43478. Suchtransgenic and transchromosomal mice may be capable of producingmultiple isotypes of human monoclonal antibodies to GT468 (e.g., IgG,IgA and/or IgE) by undergoing V-D-J recombination and isotype switching.

“Reduce” or “inhibit” as used herein means the ability to cause anoverall decrease, preferably of 5% or greater, 10% or greater, 20% orgreater, more preferably of 50% or greater, and most preferably of 75%or greater, in the level, e.g. in the level of proliferation of cells.

The phrase “inhibit activity of a cell” or similar phrases include acomplete or essentially complete inhibition of activity of the cell anda reduction in activity of the cell. Preferably, said inhibition ofactivity of a cell reduces tumor cell growth and/or induces tumor celldeath and thus, has a tumor-inhibiting or tumor-destroying effect.

Mechanisms of mAb Action

Although the following provides considerations regarding the mechanismunderlying the therapeutic efficacy of antibodies of the invention it isnot to be considered as limiting to the invention in any way.

The antibodies described herein may interact with components of theimmune system, preferably through. ADCC or CDC. Antibodies of theinvention can also be used to target payloads (e.g., radioisotopes,drugs or toxins) to directly kill tumor cells or can be usedsynergistically with traditional chemotherapeutic agents, attackingtumors through complementary mechanisms of action that may includeanti-tumor immune responses that may have been compromised owing to achemotherapeutic's cytotoxic side effects on T lymphocytes. However,antibodies of the invention may also exert an effect simply by bindingto GT468 on the cell surface, thus, e.g. blocking proliferation of thecells.

Antibody-Dependent Cell-Mediated Cytotoxicity

ADCC describes the cell-killing ability of effector cells as describedherein, in particular lymphocytes, which preferably requires the targetcell being marked by an antibody.

ADCC preferably occurs when antibodies bind to antigens on tumor cellsand the antibody Fc domains engage Fc receptors (FcR) on the surface ofimmune effector cells. Several families of Fc receptors have beenidentified, and specific cell populations characteristically expressdefined Fc receptors. ADCC can be viewed as a mechanism to directlyinduce a variable degree of immediate tumor destruction that leads toantigen presentation and the induction of tumor-directed T-cellresponses. Preferably, in vivo induction of ADCC will lead totumor-directed T-cell responses and host-derived antibody responses.

Complement-Dependent Cytotoxicity

CDC is another cell-killing method that can be directed by antibodies.IgM is the most effective isotype for complement activation. IgG1 andIgG3 are also both very effective at directing CDC via the classicalcomplement-activation pathway. Preferably, in this cascade, theformation of antigen-antibody complexes results in the uncloaking ofmultiple C1q binding sites in close proximity on the C_(H)2 domains ofparticipating antibody molecules such as IgG molecules (C1q is one ofthree subcomponents of complement C1). Preferably these uncloaked C1qbinding sites convert the previously low-affinity C1q-IgG interaction toone of high avidity, which triggers a cascade of events involving aseries of other complement proteins and leads to the proteolytic releaseof the effector-cell chemotactic/activating agents C3a and C5a.Preferably, the complement cascade ends in the formation of a membraneattack complex, which creates pores in the cell membrane that facilitatefree passage of water and solutes into and out of the cell.

Production of Antibodies

Antibodies of the invention can be produced by a variety of techniques,including conventional monoclonal antibody methodology, e.g., thestandard somatic cell hybridization technique of Kohler and Milstein,Nature 256: 495 (1975). Although somatic cell hybridization proceduresare preferred, in principle, other techniques for producing monoclonalantibodies can be employed, e.g., viral or oncogenic transformation ofB-lymphocytes or phage display techniques using libraries of antibodygenes.

The preferred animal system for preparing hybridomas that secretemonoclonal antibodies is the murine system. Hybridoma production in themouse is a very well established procedure. Immunization protocols andtechniques for isolation of immunized splenocytes for fusion are knownin the art. Fusion partners (e.g., murine myeloma cells) and fusionprocedures are also known.

Other preferred animal systems for preparing hybridomas that secretemonoclonal antibodies are the rat and the rabbit system (e.g. describedin Spieker-Polet et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 92:9348 (1995),see also Rossi et al., Am. J. Clin. Pathol. 124: 295 (2005)).

In yet another preferred embodiment, human monoclonal antibodiesdirected against GT468 can be generated using transgenic ortranschromosomal mice carrying parts of the human immune system ratherthan the mouse system. These transgenic and transchromosomic miceinclude mice known as HuMAb mice and KM mice, respectively, and arecollectively referred to herein as “transgenic mice.” The production ofhuman antibodies in such transgenic mice can be performed as describedin detail for CD20 in WO2004 035607

Yet another strategy for generating monoclonal antibodies is to directlyisolate genes encoding antibodies from lymphocytes producing antibodiesof defined strategy e.g. see Babcock et al., 1996; A novel strategy forgenerating monoclonal antibodies from single, isolated lymphocytesproducing antibodies of defined strategy. For details of recombinantantibody engineering see also Welschof and Kraus, Recombinant antibodiesfor cancer therapy ISBN-0-89603-918-8 and Benny K. C. Lo AntibodyEngineering ISBN 1-58829-092-1.

Immunizations

To generate antibodies to GT468, mice can be immunized withcarrier-conjugated peptides derived from the GT468 sequence, an enrichedpreparation of recombinantly expressed GT468 antigen or fragmentsthereof and/or cells expressing GT468, as described. Alternatively, micecan be immunized with DNA encoding full length human GT468 (e.g. SEQ IDNO: 1) or fragments thereof, in particular those encoding SEQ IDNos:3-10 and 35-82. In the event that immunizations using a purified orenriched preparation of the GT468 antigen do not result in antibodies,mice can also be immunized with cells expressing GT468, e.g., a cellline, to promote immune responses.

The immune response can be monitored over the course of the immunizationprotocol with plasma and serum samples being obtained by tail vein orretroorbital bleeds. Mice with sufficient titers of anti-GT468immunoglobulin can be used for fusions. Mice can be boostedintraperitonealy or intravenously with GT468 expressing cells 3 daysbefore sacrifice and removal of the spleen to increase the rate ofspecific antibody secreting hybridomas.

Generation of Hybridomas Producing Monoclonal Antibodies

To generate hybridomas producing monoclonal antibodies to GT468,splenocytes and lymph node cells from immunized mice can be isolated andfused to an appropriate immortalized cell line, such as a mouse myelomacell line. The resulting hybridomas can then be screened for theproduction of antigen-specific antibodies. Individual wells can then bescreened by ELISA for antibody secreting hybridomas. ByImmunofluorescence and FACS analysis using GT468 expressing cells,antibodies with specificity for GT468 can be identified. The antibodysecreting hybridomas can be replated, screened again, and if stillpositive for anti-GT468 monoclonal antibodies can be subcloned bylimiting dilution. The stable subclones can then be cultured in vitro togenerate antibody in tissue culture medium for characterization.

Generation of Transfectomas Producing Monoclonal Antibodies

Antibodies of the invention also can be produced in a host celltransfectoma using, for example, a combination of recombinant DNAtechniques and gene transfection methods as are well known in the art(Morrison, S. (1985) Science 229: 1202).

For example, in one embodiment, the gene(s) of interest, e.g., antibodygenes, can be ligated into an expression vector such as a eukaryoticexpression plasmid such as used by the GS gene expression systemdisclosed in WO 87/04462, WO 89/01036 and EP 338 841 or other expressionsystems well known in the art. The purified plasmid with the clonedantibody genes can be introduced in eukaryotic host cells such as CHOcells, NS/0 cells, HEK293T cells or HEK293 cells or alternatively othereukaryotic cells like plant derived cells, fungal or yeast cells. Themethod used to introduce these genes can be methods described in the artsuch as electroporation, lipofectine, lipofectamine or others. Afterintroduction of these antibody genes in the host cells, cells expressingthe antibody can be identified and selected. These cells represent thetransfectomas which can then be amplified for their expression level andupscaled to produce antibodies. Recombinant antibodies can be isolatedand purified from these culture supernatants and/or cells.

Alternatively, the cloned antibody genes can be expressed in otherexpression systems, including prokaryotic cells, such as microorganisms,e.g. E. coli. Furthermore, the antibodies can be produced in transgenicnon-human animals, such as in milk from sheep and rabbits or in eggsfrom hens, or in transgenic plants; see e.g. Verma, R., et al. (1998) J.Immunol. Meth. 216: 165-181; Pollock, et al. (1999) J. Immunol. Meth.231: 147-157; and Fischer, R., et al. (1999) Biol. Chem. 380: 825-839.

Use of Partial Antibody Sequences to Express Intact Antibodies (i.e.Humanization and Chimerisation).

a) Chimerization

Murine monoclonal antibodies can be used as therapeutic antibodies inhumans when labeled with toxins or radioactive isotopes. Nonlabeledmurine antibodies are highly immunogenic in man when repetitivelyapplied leading to reduction of the therapeutic effect. The mainimmunogenicity is mediated by the heavy chain constant regions. Theimmunogenicity of murine antibodies in man can be reduced or completelyavoided if respective antibodies are chimerized or humanized. Chimericantibodies are antibodies, the different portions of which are derivedfrom different animal species, such as those having a variable regionderived from a murine antibody and a human immunoglobulin constantregion. Chimerisation of antibodies is achieved by joining of thevariable regions of the murine antibody heavy and light chain with theconstant region of human heavy and light chain (e.g. as described byKraus et al., in Methods in Molecular Biology series, Recombinantantibodies for cancer therapy ISBN-0-89603-918-8). In a preferredembodiment chimeric antibodies are generated by joining humankappa-light chain constant region to murine light chain variable region.In an also preferred embodiment chimeric antibodies can be generated byjoining human lambda-light chain constant region to murine light chainvariable region. The preferred heavy chain constant regions forgeneration of chimeric antibodies are IgG1, IgG3 and IgG4. Otherpreferred heavy chain constant regions for generation of chimericantibodies are IgG2, IgA, IgD and IgM.

b) Humanization

Antibodies interact with target antigens predominantly through aminoacid residues that are located in the six heavy and light chaincomplementarity determining regions (CDRs). For this reason, the aminoacid sequences within CDRs are more diverse between individualantibodies than sequences outside of CDRs. Because CDR sequences areresponsible for most antibody-antigen interactions, it is possible toexpress recombinant antibodies that mimic the properties of specificnaturally occurring antibodies by constructing expression vectors thatinclude CDR sequences from the specific naturally occurring antibodygrafted onto framework sequences from a different antibody withdifferent properties (see, e.g., Riechmann, L. et al. (1998) Nature 332:323-327; Jones, P. et al. (1986) Nature 321: 522-525; and Queen, C. etal. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 86: 10029-10033). Suchframework sequences can be obtained from public DNA databases thatinclude germline antibody gene sequences. These germline sequences willdiffer from mature antibody gene sequences because they will not includecompletely assembled variable genes, which are formed by V (D) J joiningduring B cell maturation. Germline gene sequences will also differ fromthe sequences of a high affinity secondary repertoire antibody atindividual evenly across the variable region. For example, somaticmutations are relatively infrequent in the amino terminal portion offramework region 1 and in the carboxy-terminal portion of frameworkregion 4. Furthermore, many somatic mutations do not significantly alterthe binding properties of the antibody. For this reason, it is notnecessary to obtain the entire DNA sequence of a particular antibody inorder to recreate an intact recombinant antibody having bindingproperties similar to those of the original antibody (see WO 99/45962).Partial heavy and light chain sequences spanning the CDR regions aretypically sufficient for this purpose. The partial sequence is used todetermine which germline variable and joining gene segments contributedto the recombined antibody variable genes. The germline sequence is thenused to fill in missing portions of the variable regions. Heavy andlight chain leader sequences are cleaved during protein maturation anddo not contribute to the properties of the final antibody. To addmissing sequences, cloned cDNA sequences can be combined with syntheticoligonucleotides by ligation or PCR amplification. Alternatively, theentire variable region can be synthesized as a set of short,overlapping, oligonucleotides and combined by PCR amplification tocreate an entirely synthetic variable region clone. This process hascertain advantages such as elimination or inclusion or particularrestriction sites, or optimization of particular codons.

The nucleotide sequences of heavy and light chain transcripts fromhybridomas are used to design an overlapping set of syntheticoligonucleotides to create synthetic V sequences with identical aminoacid coding capacities as the natural sequences. The synthetic heavy andkappa chain sequences can differ from the natural sequences in threeways: strings of repeated nucleotide bases are interrupted to facilitateoligonucleotide synthesis and PCR amplification; optimal translationinitiation sites are incorporated according to Kozak's rules (Kozak,1991, J. Biol. Chem. 266: 19867-19870); and HindIII sites are engineeredupstream of the translation initiation sites.

For both the heavy and light chain variable regions, the optimizedcoding and corresponding non-coding, strand sequences are broken downinto 30-50 nucleotides approximately at the midpoint of thecorresponding non-coding oligonucleotide. Thus, for each chain, theoligonucleotides can be assembled into overlapping double stranded setsthat span segments of 150-400 nucleotides. The pools are then used astemplates to produce PCR amplification products of 150-400 nucleotides.Typically, a single variable region oligonucleotide set will be brokendown into two pools which are separately amplified to generate twooverlapping PCR products. These overlapping products are then combinedby PCR amplification to form the complete variable region. It may alsobe desirable to include an overlapping fragment of the heavy or lightchain constant region in the PCR amplification to generate fragmentsthat can easily be cloned into the expression vector constructs.

The reconstructed chimerized or humanized heavy and light chain variableregions are then combined with cloned promoter, leader, translationinitiation, constant region, 3′ untranslated, polyadenylation, andtranscription termination sequences to form expression vectorconstructs. The heavy and light chain expression constructs can becombined into a single vector, co-transfected, serially transfected, orseparately transfected into host cells which are then fused to form ahost cell expressing both chains. Plasmids for use in construction ofexpression vectors for human IgGκ are described. The plasmids can beconstructed so that PCR amplified V heavy and V kappa light chain cDNAsequences can be used to reconstruct complete heavy and light chainminigenes. These plasmids can be used to express completely human, orchimeric IgG1, Kappa or IgG4, Kappa antibodies. Similar plasmids can beconstructed for expression of other heavy chain isotypes, or forexpression of antibodies comprising lambda light chains.

Thus, in another aspect of the invention, the structural features of theanti-GT468 antibodies of the invention, are used to create structurallyrelated humanized anti-GT468 antibodies that retain at least onefunctional property of the antibodies of the invention, such as bindingto GT468. More specifically, one or more CDR regions of mouse monoclonalantibodies can be combined recombinantly with known human frameworkregions and CDRs to create additional, recombinantly-engineered,humanized anti-GT468 antibodies of the invention.

Binding to Antigen Expressing Cells

The ability of the antibody to bind GT468 can be determined usingstandard binding assays, such as those set forth in the examples (e.g.,ELISA, Western Blot, Immunofluorescence and flow cytometric analysis)

Isolation and Characterization of Antibodies

To purify anti-GT468 antibodies, selected hybridomas can be grown intwo-liter spinner-flasks for monoclonal antibody purification.Alternatively, anti-GT468 antibodies can be produced in dialysis basedbioreactors. Supernatants can be filtered and, if necessary,concentrated before affinity chromatography with protein G-sepharose orprotein A-sepharose. Eluted IgG can be checked by gel electrophoresisand high performance liquid chromatography to ensure purity. The buffersolution can be exchanged into PBS, and the concentration can bedetermined by OD280 using 1.43 extinction coefficient. The monoclonalantibodies can be aliquoted and stored at −80° C.

To determine if the selected anti-GT468 monoclonal antibodies bind tounique epitopes, site-directed or multi-site directed mutagenesis can beused.

Isotype Determination

To determine the isotype of purified antibodies, isotype ELISAs withvarious commercial kits (e.g. Zymed, Roche Diagnostics) can beperformed. Wells of microtiter plates can be coated with anti-mouse Ig.After blocking, the plates are reacted with monoclonal antibodies orpurified isotype controls, at ambient temperature for two hours. Thewells can then be reacted with either mouse IgG 1, IgG2a, IgG2b or IgG3,IgA or mouse IgM-specific peroxidase-conjugated probes. After washing,the plates can be developed with ABTS substrate (1 mg/ml) and analyzedat OD of 405-650. Alternatively, the IsoStrip Mouse Monoclonal AntibodyIsotyping Kit (Roche, Cat. No. 1493027) may be used as described by themanufacturer.

Flow Cytometric Analysis

In order to demonstrate presence of anti-GT468 antibodies in sera ofimmunized mice or binding of monoclonal antibodies to living cellsexpressing GT468, flow cytometry can be used. Cell lines expressingnaturally or after transfection GT468 and negative controls lackingGT468 expression (grown under standard growth conditions) can be mixedwith various concentrations of monoclonal antibodies in hybridomasupernatants or in PBS containing 1% FBS, and can be incubated at 4° C.for 30 min. After washing, the APC- or Alexa647-labeled anti IgGantibody can bind to GT468-bound monoclonal antibody under the sameconditions as the primary antibody staining. The samples can be analyzedby flow cytometry with a FACS instrument using light and side scatterproperties to gate on single, living cells. In order to distinguishGT468-specific monoclonal antibodies from non-specific binders in asingle measurement, the method of co-transfection can be employed. Cellstransiently transfected with plasmids encoding GT468 and a fluorescentmarker can be stained as described above. Transfected cells can bedetected in a different fluorescence channel than antibody-stainedcells. As the majority of transfected cells express both transgenes,GT468-specific monoclonal antibodies bind preferentially to fluorescencemarker expressing cells, whereas non-specific antibodies bind in acomparable ratio to non-transfected cells. An alternative assay usingfluorescence microscopy may be used in addition to or instead of theflow cytometry assay. Cells can be stained exactly as described aboveand examined by fluorescence microscopy.

Immunofluorescence Microscopy

In order to demonstrate presence of anti-GT468 antibodies in sera ofimmunized mice or binding of monoclonal antibodies to living cellsexpressing GT468, immunofluorescence microscopy analysis can be used.For example, cell lines expressing either spontaneously or aftertransfection GT468 and negative controls lacking GT468 expression aregrown in chamber slides under standard growth conditions in DMEM/F12medium, supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum (FCS), 2 mM L-glutamine,100 IU/ml penicillin and 100 μg/ml streptomycin. Cells can then be fixedwith methanol or paraformaldehyde or left untreated. Cells can then bereacted with monoclonal antibodies against GT468 for 30 min. at 25° C.After washing, cells can be reacted with an Alexa555-labelled anti-mouseIgG secondary antibody (Molecular Probes) under the same conditions.Cells can then be examined by fluorescence microscopy.

Total GT468 levels in cells can be observed when cells are methanolfixed or paraformaldehyde fixed and permeabilized with Triton X-100. Inliving cells and non-permeabilized, paraformaldehyde fixed cells surfacelocalization of GT468 can be examined. Additionally targeting of GT468to tight junctions can be analyzed by co-staining with tight junctionmarkers such as ZO-1. Furthermore, effects of antibody binding and GT468localization within the cell membrane can be examined.

Western Blot

Anti-GT468 IgG can be further tested for reactivity with GT468 antigenby Western Blotting. Briefly, cell extracts from cells expressing GT468and appropriate negative controls can be prepared and subjected tosodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Afterelectrophoresis, the separated antigens will be transferred tonitrocellulose membranes, blocked, and probed with the monoclonalantibodies to be tested. IgG binding can be detected using anti-mouseIgG peroxidase and developed with ECL substrate.

Immunohistochemistry

Anti-GT468 mouse IgGs can be further tested for reactivity with GT468antigen by Immunohistochemistry in a manner well known to the skilledperson, e.g. using paraformaldehyde or acetone fixed cryosections orparaffin embedded tissue sections fixed with paraformaldehyde fromnon-cancer tissue or cancer tissue samples obtained from patients duringroutine surgical procedures or from mice carrying xenografted tumorsinoculated with cell lines expressing spontaneously or aftertransfection GT468. For immunostaining, antibodies reactive to GT468 canbe incubated followed by horseradish-peroxidase conjugated goatanti-mouse or goat anti-rabbit antibodies (DAKO) according to thevendors instructions.

Phagocytic and Cell Killing Activities of Antibodies In Vitro

In addition to binding specifically to GT468, anti-GT468 antibodies canbe tested for their ability to mediate phagocytosis and killing of cellsexpressing GT468 and/or being characterized by association of GT468 withtheir cell surface. The testing of monoclonal antibody activity in vitrowill provide an initial screening prior to testing in vivo models.

Antibody Dependent Cell-Mediated Cytotoxicity (ADCC):

Briefly, polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs), NK cells, monocytes,mononuclear cells or other effector cells, from healthy donors can bepurified by Ficoll Hypaque density centrifugation, followed by lysis ofcontaminating erythrocytes. Washed effector cells can be suspended inRPMI supplemented with 10% heat-inactivated fetal calf serum or,alternatively with 5% heat-inactivated human serum and mixed with ⁵¹Crlabeled target cells expressing GT468 and/or being characterized byassociation of GT468 with their cell surface, at various ratios ofeffector cells to target cells. Alternatively, the target cells may belabeled with a fluorescence enhancing ligand (BATDA). A highlyfluorescent chelate of Europium with the enhancing ligand which isreleased from dead cells can be measured by a fluorometer. Anotheralternative technique may utilize the transfection of target cells withluciferase. Added lucifer yellow may then be oxidated by viable cellsonly. Purified anti-GT468 IgGs can then be added at variousconcentrations. Irrelevant human IgG can be used as negative control.Assays can be carried out for 4 to 20 hours at 37° C. depending on theeffector cell type used. Samples can be assayed for cytolysis bymeasuring Cr release or the presence of the EuTDA chelate in the culturesupernatant. Alternatively, luminescence resulting from the oxidation oflucifer yellow can be a measure of viable cells.

Anti-GT468 monoclonal antibodies can also be tested in variouscombinations to determine whether cytolysis is enhanced with multiplemonoclonal antibodies.

Complement Dependent Cytotoxicity (CDC):

Monoclonal anti-GT468 antibodies can be tested for their ability tomediate CDC using a variety of known techniques. For example, serum forcomplement can be obtained from blood in a manner known to the skilledperson. To determine the CDC activity of mAbs, different methods can beused. ⁵¹Cr release can for example be measured or elevated membranepermeability can be assessed using a propidium iodide (PI) exclusionassay. Briefly, target cells can be washed and 5×10⁵/ml can be incubatedwith various concentrations of mAb for 10-30 min. at room temperature orat 37° C. Serum or plasma can then be added to a final concentration of20% (v/v) and the cells incubated at 37° C. for 20-30 min. All cellsfrom each sample can be added to the PI solution in a FACS tube. Themixture can then be analyzed immediately by flow cytometry analysisusing FACSArray.

In an alternative assay, induction of CDC can be determined on adherentcells. In one embodiment of this assay, cells are seeded 24 h before theassay with a density of 3×10⁴/well in tissue-culture flat-bottommicrotiter plates. The next day growth medium is removed and the cellsare incubated in triplicates with antibodies. Control cells areincubated with growth medium or growth medium containing 0.2% saponinfor the determination of background lysis and maximal lysis,respectively. After incubation for 20 min. at room temperaturesupernatant is removed and 20% (v/v) human plasma or serum in DMEM(prewarmed to 37° C.) is added to the cells and incubated for another 20min. at 37° C. All cells from each sample are added to propidium iodidesolution (10 μg/ml). Then, supernatants are replaced by PBS containing2.5 μg/ml ethidium bromide and fluorescence emission upon excitation at520 nm is measured at 600 nm using a Tecan Safire. The percentagespecific lysis is calculated as follows: % specific lysis=(fluorescencesample-fluorescence background)/(fluorescence maximal lysis-fluorescencebackground)×100.

Inhibition of Cell Proliferation by Monoclonal Antibodies:

To test for the ability to initiate apoptosis, monoclonal anti-GT468antibodies can, for example, be incubated with GT468 positive tumorcells or GT468 transfected tumor cells at 37° C. for about 20 hours. Thecells can be harvested, washed in Annexin-V binding buffer (BDbiosciences), and incubated with Annexin V conjugated with FITC or APC(BD biosciences) for 15 min. in the dark. All cells from each sample canbe added to PI solution (10 μg/ml in PBS) in a FACS tube and assessedimmediately by flow cytometry (as above). Alternatively, a generalinhibition of cell-proliferation by monoclonal antibodies can bedetected with commercially available kits. The DELFIA Cell ProliferationKit (Perkin-Elmer, Cat. No. AD0200) is a non-isotopic immunoassay basedon the measurement of 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporationduring DNA synthesis of proliferating cells in microplates. IncorporatedBrdU is detected using europium labelled monoclonal antibody. To allowantibody detection, cells are fixed and DNA denatured using Fixsolution. Unbound antibody is washed away and DELFIA inducer is added todissociate europium ions from the labelled antibody into solution, wherethey form highly fluorescent chelates with components of the DELFIAInducer. The fluorescence measured—utilizing time-resolved fluorometryin the detection—is proportional to the DNA synthesis in the cell ofeach well.

Preclinical Studies

Monoclonal antibodies which bind to GT468 also can be tested in an invivo model (e.g. in immune deficient mice carrying xenografted tumorsinoculated with cell lines expressing GT468, possibly aftertransfection) to determine their efficacy in controlling growth ofGT468-expressing tumor cells.

In vivo studies after xenografting GT468 expressing tumor cells intoimmunocompromised mice or other animals can be performed usingantibodies of the invention. Antibodies can be adminstered to tumor freemice followed by injection of tumor cells to measure the effects of theantibodies to prevent formation of tumors or tumor-related symptoms.Antibodies can be adminstered to tumor-bearing mice to determine thetherapeutic efficacy of respective antibodies to reduce tumor growth,metastasis or tumor related symptoms. Antibody application can becombined with application of other substances as cystostatic drugs,growth factor inhibitors, cell cycle blockers, angiogenesis inhibitorsor other antibodies to determine synergistic efficacy and potentialtoxicity of combinations. To analyze toxic side effects mediated byantibodies of the invention animals can be inoculated with antibodies orcontrol reagents and thoroughly investigated for symptoms possiblyrelated to GT468-antibody therapy. Possible side effects of in vivoapplication of GT468 antibodies particularly include toxicity at GT468expressing tissues including placenta. Antibodies recognizing GT468 inhuman and in other species, e.g. mice, are particularly useful topredict potential side effects mediated by application of monoclonalGT468-antibodies in humans.

Epitope Mapping

Mapping of epitopes recognized by antibodies of invention can beperformed as described in detail in “Epitope Mapping Protocols (Methodsin Molecular Biology) by Glenn E. Morris ISBN-089603-375-9 and in“Epitope Mapping: A Practical Approach” Practical Approach Series, 248by Olwyn M. R. Westwood, Frank C. Hay.

I. Bispecific/Multispecific Molecules which Bind to GT468

In yet another embodiment of the invention, antibodies to GT468 can bederivatized or linked to another functional molecule, e.g., anotherpeptide or protein (e.g., an Fab′ fragment) to generate a bispecific ormultispecific molecule which binds to multiple binding sites or targetepitopes. For example, an antibody of the invention can be functionallylinked (e.g. by chemical coupling, genetic fusion, noncovalentassociation or otherwise) to one or more other binding molecules, suchas another antibody, peptide or binding mimetic.

Accordingly, the present invention includes bispecific and multispecificmolecules comprising at least one first binding specificity for GT468and a second binding specificity for a second target epitope. In aparticular embodiment of the invention, the second target epitope is anFc receptor, e.g. human Fc-gammaRI (CD64) or a human Fc-alpha receptor(CD89), or a T cell receptor, e.g. CD3. Therefore, the inventionincludes bispecific and multispecific molecules capable of binding bothto Fc-gammaR, Fc-alphaR or Fc-epsilonR expressing effector cells (e.g.monocytes, macrophagesor polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs)), and to targetcells expressing GT468 and/or being characterized by association ofGT468 with their cell surface. These bispecific and multispecificmolecules may target cells expressing GT468 and/or being characterizedby association of GT468 with their cell surface to effector cells andmay trigger Fc receptor-mediated effector cell activities, such asphagocytosis of cells expressing GT468 and/or being characterized byassociation of GT468 with their cell surface, antibody dependentcellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), cytokine release, or generation ofsuperoxide anion.

Bispecific and multispecific molecules of the invention can furtherinclude a third binding specificity, in addition to an anti-Fc bindingspecificity and an anti-GT468 binding specificity. In one embodiment,the third binding specificity is an anti-enhancement factor (EF)portion, e.g. a molecule which binds to a surface protein involved incytotoxic activity and thereby increases the immune response against thetarget cell. The “anti-enhancement factor portion” can be an antibody,functional antibody fragment or a ligand that binds to a given molecule,e.g., an antigen or a receptor, and thereby results in an enhancement ofthe effect of the binding determinants for the Fc receptor or targetcell antigen. The “anti-enhancement factor portion” can bind an Fcreceptor or a target cell antigen. Alternatively, the anti-enhancementfactor portion can bind to an entity that is different from the entityto which the first and second binding specificities bind. For example,the anti-enhancement factor portion can bind a cytotoxic T cell (e.g.,via CD2, CD3, CD8, CD28, CD4, CD40, ICAM-1 or other immune cell thatresults in an increased immune response against the target cell).

In one embodiment, the bispecific and multispecific molecules of theinvention comprise as a binding specificity at least one antibody,including, e.g., an Fab, Fab′, F(ab′)₂, Fv, or a single chain Fv. Theantibody may also be a light chain or heavy chain dimer, or any minimalfragment thereof such as a Fv or a single chain construct as describedin Ladner et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,778. The antibody may also be abinding-domain immunoglobulin fusion protein as disclosed inUS2003/0118592 and US 2003/0133939.

In one embodiment bispecific and multispecific molecules of theinvention comprise a binding specificity for an Fc-gammaR or anFc-alphaR present on the surface of an effector cell, and a secondbinding specificity for a target cell antigen, e.g., GT468.

In one embodiment, the binding specificity for an Fc receptor isprovided by a monoclonal antibody, the binding of which is not blockedby human immunoglobulin G (IgG). As used herein, the term “IgG receptor”refers to any of the eight gamma-chain genes located, on chromosome 1.These genes encode a total of twelve transmembrane or soluble receptorisoforms which are grouped into three Fc-gamma receptor classes:Fc-gammaRI (CD64), Fc-gammaRII (CD32), and Fc-gammaRIII (CD16). In onepreferred embodiment, the Fc-gamma receptor is a human high affinityFc-gammaRI.

The production and characterization of these preferred monoclonalantibodies are described by Fanger et al. in WO 88/00052 and in U.S.Pat. No. 4,954,617. These antibodies bind to an epitope of Fc-gammaRI,Fc-gammaRII or Fc-gammayRIII at a site which is distinct from the Fcγbinding site of the receptor and, thus, their binding is not blockedsubstantially by physiological levels of IgG. Specific anti-Fc-gammaRIantibodies useful in this invention are mAb 22, mAb 32, mAb 44, mAb 62and mAb 197. In other embodiments, the anti-Fcγ receptor antibody is ahumanized form of monoclonal antibody 22 (H22). The production andcharacterization of the H22 antibody is described in Graziano, R. F. etal. (1995) J. Immunol. 155 (10): 4996-5002 and WO 94/10332. The H22antibody producing cell line was deposited at the American Type CultureCollection on Nov. 4, 1992 under the designation HA022CL1 and has theaccession No. CRL 11177.

In still other preferred embodiments, the binding specificity for an Fcreceptor is provided by an antibody that binds to a human IgA receptor,e.g., an Fc-alpha receptor (Fc-alphaRI (CD89)), the binding of which ispreferably not blocked by human immunoglobulin A (IgA). The term “IgAreceptor” is intended to include the gene product of one alpha-gene(Fc-alphaRI) located on chromosome 19. This gene is known to encodeseveral alternatively spliced transmembrane isoforms of 55 to 110 kDa.Fc-alphaRI (CD89) is constitutively expressed on monocytes/macrophages,eosinophilic and neutrophilic granulocytes, but not on non-effector cellpopulations. Fc-alphaRI has medium affinity for both IgA1 and IgA2,which is increased upon exposure to cytokines such as G-CSF or GM-CSF(Morton, H. C. et al. (1996) Critical Reviews in Immunology 16:423-440). Four Fc-alphaRI-specific monoclonal antibodies, identified asA3, A59, A62 and A77, which bind Fc-alphaRI outside the IgA ligandbinding domain, have been described (Monteiro, R. C. et al. (1992) J.Immunol. 148: 1764).

Fc-alphaRI and Fc-gammaRI are preferred trigger receptors for use in theinvention because they (1) are expressed primarily on immune effectorcells, e.g., monocytes, PMNs, macrophages and dendritic cells; (2) areexpressed at high levels (e.g., 5,000-100,000 per cell); (3) aremediators of cytotoxic activities (e.g., ADCC, phagocytosis); (4)mediate enhanced antigen presentation of antigens, includingself-antigens, targeted to them.

In another embodiment the bispecific molecule is comprised of twomonoclonal antibodies according to the invention which havecomplementary functional activities, such as one antibody predominatelyworking by inducing CDC and the other antibody predominately working byinducing apoptosis.

An “effector cell specific antibody” as used herein refers to anantibody or functional antibody fragment that binds the Fc receptor ofeffector cells. Preferred antibodies for use in the subject inventionbind the Fc receptor of effector cells at a site which is not bound byendogenous immunoglobulin.

As used herein, the term “effector cell” refers to an immune cell whichis involved in the effector phase of an immune response, as opposed tothe cognitive and activation phases of an immune response. Exemplaryimmune cells include cells of myeloid or lymphoid origin, e.g,lymphocytes (e.g., B cells and T cells including cytolytic T cells(CTLs), killer cells, natural killer cells, macrophages, monocytes,eosinophils, neutrophils, polymorphonuclear cells, granulocytes, mastcells, and basophils. Some effector cells express specific Fc receptorsand carry out specific immune functions. In preferred embodiments, aneffector cell is capable of inducing antibody-dependent cellularcytotoxicity (ADCC), e.g., a neutrophil capable of inducing ADCC. Forexample, monocytes, macrophages, which express FcR are involved inspecific killing of target cells and presenting antigens to othercomponents of the immune system, or binding to cells that presentantigens. In other embodiments, an effector cell can phagocytose atarget antigen, target cell, or microorganism. The expression of aparticular FcR on an effector cell can be regulated by humoral factorssuch as cytokines. For example, expression of Fc-gammaRI has been foundto be up-regulated by interferon gamma (IFN-γ). This enhanced expressionincreases the cytotoxic activity of Fc-gammaRI-bearing cells againsttargets. An effector cell can phagocytose or lyse a target antigen or atarget cell.

“Target cell” shall mean any undesirable cell in a subject (e.g., ahuman or animal) that can be targeted by an antibody of the invention.In preferred embodiments, the target cell is a cell expressing oroverexpressing GT468 and/or being characterized by association of GT468with its cell surface. Cells expressing GT468 and/or being characterizedby association of GT468 with their cell surface typically include tumorcells.

Bispecific and multispecific molecules of the present invention can bemade using chemical techniques (see e.g., D. M. Kranz et al. (1981)Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 78:5807), “polydoma” techniques (See U.S.Pat. No. 4,474,893, to Reading), or recombinant DNA techniques.

In particular, bispecific and multispecific molecules of the presentinvention can be prepared by conjugating the constituent bindingspecificities, e.g., the anti-FcR and anti-GT468 binding specificities,using methods known in the art. For example, each binding specificity ofthe bispecific and multispecific molecule can be generated separatelyand then conjugated to one another. When the binding specificities areproteins or peptides, a variety of coupling or cross-linking agents canbe used for covalent conjugation. Examples of cross-linking agentsinclude protein A, carbodiimide, N-succinimidyl-5-acetyl-thioacetate(SATA), 5,5′-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB),o-phenylenedimaleimide (oPDM),N-succinimidyl-3-(2-pyridyldithio)propionate (SPDP), andsulfosuccinimidyl-4-(N-maleimidomethyl)cyclohexane-1-carboxylate(sulfo-SMCC) (see e.g., Karpovsky et al. (1984) J. Exp. Med. 160: 1686;Liu, M A et al. (1985) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82: 8648). Othermethods include those described by Paulus (Behring Ins. Mitt. (1985) No.78, 118-132); Brennan et al. (Science (1985) 229: 81-83), and Glennie etal. (J. Immunol. (1987) 139: 2367-2375). Preferred conjugating agentsare SATA and sulfo-SMCC, both available from Pierce Chemical Co.(Rockford, Ill.).

When the binding specificities are antibodies, they can be conjugatedvia sulfhydryl bonding of the C-terminus hinge regions of the two heavychains. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the hinge region ismodified to contain an odd number of sulfhydryl residues, preferablyone, prior to conjugation.

Alternatively, both binding specificities can be encoded in the samevector and expressed and assembled in the same host cell. This method isparticularly useful where the bispecific and multispecific molecule is amAb×mAb, mAb×Fab, Fab×F(ab′)₂ or ligand×Fab fusion protein. A bispecificand multispecific molecule of the invention, e.g., a bispecificmolecule, can be a single chain molecule, such as a single chainbispecific antibody, a single chain bispecific molecule comprising onesingle chain antibody and a binding determinant, or a single chainbispecific molecule comprising two binding determinants. Bispecific andmultispecific molecules can also be single chain molecules or maycomprise at least two single chain molecules. Methods for preparing bi-and multispecific molecules are described for example in U.S. Pat. No.5,260,203; U.S. Pat. No. 5,455,030; U.S. Pat. No. 4,881,175; U.S. Pat.No. 5,132,405; U.S. Pat. No. 5,091,513; U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,786; U.S.Pat. No. 5,013,653; U.S. Pat. No. 5,258,498; and U.S. Pat. No.5,482,858.

Binding of the bispecific and multispecific molecules to their specifictargets can be confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), aradioimmunoassay (RIA), FACS analysis, a bioassay (e.g., growthinhibition), or a Western Blot Assay. Each of these assays generallydetects the presence of protein-antibody complexes of particularinterest by employing a labeled reagent (e.g., an antibody) specific forthe complex of interest. For example, the FcR-antibody complexes can bedetected using e.g., an enzyme-linked antibody or antibody fragmentwhich recognizes and specifically binds to the antibody-FcR complexes.Alternatively, the complexes can be detected using any of a variety ofother immunoassays. For example, the antibody can be radioactivelylabeled and used in a radioimmunoassay (RIA) (see, for example,Weintraub, B., Principles of Radioimmunoassays, Seventh Training Courseon Radioligand Assay Techniques, The Endocrine Society, March, 1986).The radioactive isotope can be detected by such means as the use of aγ-counter or a scintillation counter or by autoradiography.

II. Immunoconjugates

In another aspect, the present invention features an anti-GT468 antibodyconjugated to a therapeutic moiety or agent, such as a cytotoxin, a drug(e.g., an immunosuppressant) or a radioisotope. Such conjugates arereferred to herein as “immunoconjugates”. Immunoconjugates which includeone or more cytotoxins are referred to as “immunotoxins”. A cytotoxin orcytotoxic agent includes any agent that is detrimental to and, inparticular, kills cells. Examples include taxol, cytochalasin B,gramicidin D, ethidium bromide, emetine, mitomycin, etoposide,tenoposide, vincristine, vinblastine, colchicin, doxorubicin,daunorubicin, dihydroxy anthracin dione, mitoxantrone, mithramycin,actinomycin D, 1-dehydrotestosterone, glucocorticoids, procaine,tetracaine, lidocaine, propranolol, and puromycin and analogs orhomologs thereof.

Suitable therapeutic agents for forming immunoconjugates of theinvention include, but are not limited to, antimetabolites (e.g.,methotrexate, 6-mercaptopurine, 6-thioguanine, cytarabine, fludarabin,5-fluorouracil decarbazine), alkylating agents (e.g., mechlorethamine,thioepa chlorambucil, melphalan, carmustine (BSNU) and lomustine (CCNU),cyclophosphamide, busulfan, dibromomannitol, streptozotocin, mitomycinC, and cis-dichlorodiamine platinum (II) (DDP) cisplatin),anthracyclines (e.g., daunorubicin (formerly daunomycin) anddoxorubicin), antibiotics (e.g., dactinomycin (formerly actinomycin),bleomycin, mithramycin, and anthramycin (AMC), and anti-mitotic agents(e.g., vincristine and vinblastine). In a preferred embodiment, thetherapeutic agent is a cytotoxic agent or a radiotoxic agent. In anotherembodiment, the therapeutic agent is an immunosuppressant. In yetanother embodiment, the therapeutic agent is GM-CSF. In a preferredembodiment, the therapeutic agent is doxorubicin, cisplatin, bleomycin,sulfate, carmustine, chlorambucil, cyclophosphamide or ricin A.

Antibodies of the present invention also can be conjugated to aradioisotope, e.g., iodine-131, yttrium-90 or indium-111, to generatecytotoxic radiopharmaceuticals for treating a GT468-related disorder,such as a cancer. The antibody conjugates of the invention can be usedto modify a given biological response, and the drug moiety is not to beconstrued as limited to classical chemical therapeutic agents. Forexample, the drug moiety may be a protein or polypeptide possessing adesired biological activity. Such proteins may include, for example, anenzymatically active toxin, or active fragment thereof, such as abrin,ricin A, pseudomonas exotoxin, or diphtheria toxin; a protein such astumor necrosis factor or interferon-γ; or, biological response modifierssuch as, for example, lymphokines, interleukin-1 (“IL-1”), interleukin-2(“IL-2”), interleukin-6 (“IL-6”), granulocyte macrophage colonystimulating factor (“GM-CSF”), granulocyte colony stimulating factor(“G-CSF”), or other growth factors.

Techniques for conjugating such therapeutic moiety to antibodies arewell known, see, e.g., Amon et al., “Monoclonal Antibodies ForImmunotargeting Of Drugs In Cancer Therapy”, in Monoclonal AntibodiesAnd Cancer Therapy, Reisfeld et al. (eds.), pp. 243-56 (Alan R. Liss,Inc. 1985); Hellstrom et al., “Antibodies For Drug Delivery”, inControlled Drug Delivery (2nd Ed.), Robinson et al. (eds.), pp. 623-53(Marcel Dekker, Inc. 1987); Thorpe, “Antibody Carriers Of CytotoxicAgents In Cancer Therapy: A Review”, in Monoclonal Antibodies '84:Biological And Clinical Applications, Pinchera et al. (eds.), pp.475-506 (1985); “Analysis, Results, And Future Prospective Of TheTherapeutic Use Of Radiolabeled Antibody In Cancer Therapy”, inMonoclonal Antibodies For Cancer Detection And Therapy, Baldwin et al.(eds.), pp. 303-16 (Academic Press 1985), and Thorpe et al., “ThePreparation And Cytotoxic Properties Of Antibody-Toxin Conjugates”,Immunol. Rev., 62: 119-58 (1982).

In a further embodiment, the antibodies according to the invention areattached to a linker-chelator, e.g., tiuxetan, which allows for theantibody to be conjugated to a radioisotope.

III. Pharmaceutical Compositions

In another aspect, the present invention provides a composition, e.g., apharmaceutical composition, containing one or a combination ofantibodies of the present invention. The pharmaceutical compositions maybe formulated with pharmaceutically acceptable carriers or diluents aswell as any other known adjuvants and excipients in accordance withconventional techniques such as those disclosed in Remington: TheScience and Practice of Pharmacy, 19th Edition, Gennaro, Ed., MackPublishing Co., Easton, Pa., 1995. In one embodiment, the compositionsinclude a combination of multiple (e.g., two or more) isolatedantibodies of the invention which act by different mechanisms, e.g., oneantibody which predominately acts by inducing CDC in combination withanother antibody which predominately acts by inducing apoptosis.

Pharmaceutical compositions of the invention also can be administered incombination therapy, i.e., combined with other agents. For example, thecombination therapy can include a composition of the present inventionwith at least one anti-inflammatory agent or at least oneimmunosuppressive agent. In one embodiment such therapeutic agentsinclude one or more anti-inflammatory agents, such as a steroidal drugor a NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug). Preferred agentsinclude, for example, aspirin and other salicylates, Cox-2 inhibitors,such as rofecoxib (Vioxx) and celecoxib (Celebrex), NSAIDs such asibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), fenoprofen (Nalfon), naproxen (Naprosyn),sulindac (Clinoril), diclofenac (Voltaren), piroxicam (Feldene),ketoprofen (Orudis), diflunisal (Dolobid), nabumetone (Relafen),etodolac (Lodine), oxaprozin (Daypro), and indomethacin (Indocin).

In another embodiment, such therapeutic agents include agents leading tothe depletion or functional inactivation of regulatory T cells like lowdose cyclophosphamid, anti-CTLA4 antibodies, anti-IL2 oranti-IL2-receptor antibodies.

In yet another embodiment, such therapeutic agents include one or morechemotherapeutics, such as Taxol derivatives, taxotere, gemcitabin,5-Fluoruracil, doxorubicin (Adriamycin), cisplatin (Platinol),cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan, Procytox, Neosar). In another embodiment,antibodies of the present invention may be administered in combinationwith chemotherapeutic agents, which preferably show therapeutic efficacyin patients suffering from breast, lung, gastric and/or ovarian cancer,or other cancer types e.g. as described herein.

In yet another embodiment, the antibodies of the invention may beadministered in conjunction with radiotherapy and/or autologousperipheral stem cell or bone marrow transplantation.

In still another embodiment, the antibodies of the invention may beadministered in combination with one or more antibodies selected fromanti-CD25 antibodies, anti-EPCAM antibodies, anti-EGFR, anti-Her2/neu,and anti-CD40 antibodies.

In yet a further embodiment, the antibodies of the invention may beadministered in combination with an anti-C3b(i) antibody in order toenhance complement activation.

As used herein, “pharmaceutically acceptable carrier” includes any andall solvents, dispersion media, coatings, antibacterial and antifungalagents, isotonic and absorption delaying agents, and the like that arephysiologically compatible. Preferably, the carrier is suitable forintravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous, parenteral, spinal orepidermal administration (e.g., by injection or infusion). Depending onthe route of administration, the active compound, e.g., antibody,bispecific and multispecific molecule, may be coated in a material toprotect the compound from the action of acids and other naturalconditions that may inactivate the compound.

A “pharmaceutically acceptable salt” refers to a salt that retains thedesired biological activity of the parent compound and does not impartany undesired toxicological effects (see e.g., Berge, S. M., et al.(1977) J. Pharm. Sci. 66: 1-19).

Examples of such salts include acid addition salts and base additionsalts. Acid addition salts include those derived from nontoxic inorganicacids, such as hydrochloric, nitric, phosphoric, sulfuric, hydrobromic,hydroiodic, phosphorous and the like, as well as from nontoxic organicacids such as aliphatic mono- and dicarboxylic acids, phenyl-substitutedalkanoic acids, hydroxy alkanoic acids, aromatic acids, aliphatic andaromatic sulfonic acids and the like. Base addition salts include thosederived from alkaline earth metals, such as sodium, potassium,magnesium, calcium and the like, as well as from nontoxic organicamines, such as N,N′-dibenzylethylenediamine, N-methylglucamine,chloroprocaine, choline, diethanolamine, ethylenediamine, procaine andthe like.

A composition of the present invention can be administered by a varietyof methods known in the art. As will be appreciated by the skilledartisan, the route and/or mode of administration will vary dependingupon the desired results. The active compounds can be prepared withcarriers that will protect the compound against rapid release, such as acontrolled release formulation, including implants, transdermal patches,and microencapsulated delivery systems. Biodegradable, biocompatiblepolymers can be used, such as ethylene vinyl acetate, polyanhydrides,polyglycolic acid, collagen, polyorthoesters, and polylactic acid.Methods for the preparation of such formulations are generally known tothose skilled in the art. See, e.g., Sustained and Controlled ReleaseDrug Delivery Systems, J. R. Robinson, ed., Marcel Dekker, Inc., NewYork, 1978.

To administer a compound of the invention by certain routes ofadministration, it may be necessary to coat the compound with, orco-administer the compound with, a material to prevent its inactivation.For example, the compound may be administered to a subject in anappropriate carrier, for example, liposomes, or a diluent.Pharmaceutically acceptable diluents include saline and aqueous buffersolutions. Liposomes include water-in-oil-in-water CGF emulsions as wellas conventional liposomes (Strejan et al. (1984) J. Neuroimmunol. 7:27).

Pharmaceutically acceptable carriers include sterile aqueous solutionsor dispersions and sterile powders for the extemporaneous preparation ofsterile injectable solutions or dispersions. The use of such media andagents for pharmaceutically active substances is known in the art.Except insofar as any conventional media or agent is incompatible withthe active compound, use thereof in the pharmaceutical compositions ofthe invention is contemplated. Supplementary active compounds can alsobe incorporated into the compositions.

Therapeutic compositions typically must be sterile and stable under theconditions of manufacture and storage. The composition can be formulatedas a solution, microemulsion, liposome, or other ordered structuresuitable to high drug concentration. The carrier can be a solvent ordispersion medium containing, for example, water, ethanol, polyol (forexample, glycerol, propylene glycol, and liquid polyethylene glycol, andthe like), and suitable mixtures thereof. The proper fluidity can bemaintained, for example, by the use of a coating such as lecithin, bythe maintenance of the required particle size in the case of dispersionand by the use of surfactants. In many cases, it will be preferable toinclude isotonic agents, for example, sugars, polyalcohols such asmannitol, sorbitol, or sodium chloride in the composition. Prolongedabsorption of the injectable compositions can be brought about byincluding in the composition an agent that delays absorption, forexample, monostearate salts and gelatin.

Sterile injectable solutions can be prepared by incorporating the activecompound in the required amount in an appropriate solvent with one or acombination of ingredients enumerated above, as required, followed bysterilization microfiltration.

Generally, dispersions are prepared by incorporating the active compoundinto a sterile vehicle that contains a basic dispersion medium and therequired other ingredients from those enumerated above. In the case ofsterile powders for the preparation of sterile injectable solutions, thepreferred methods of preparation are vacuum drying and freeze-drying(lyophilization) that yield a powder of the active ingredient plus anyadditional desired ingredient from a previously sterile-filteredsolution thereof.

Dosage regimens are adjusted to provide the optimum desired response(e.g., a therapeutic response). For example, a single bolus may beadministered, several divided doses may be administered over time or thedose may be proportionally reduced or increased as indicated by theexigencies of the therapeutic situation. It is especially advantageousto formulate parenteral compositions in dosage unit form for ease ofadministration and uniformity of dosage. Dosage unit form as used hereinrefers to physically discrete units suited as unitary dosages for thesubjects to be treated; each unit contains a predetermined quantity ofactive compound calculated to produce the desired therapeutic effect inassociation with the required pharmaceutical carrier. The specificationfor the dosage unit forms of the invention are dictated by and directlydependent on (a) the unique characteristics of the active compound andthe particular therapeutic effect to be achieved, and (b) thelimitations inherent in the art of compounding such an active compoundfor the treatment of sensitivity in individuals.

Examples of pharmaceutically-acceptable antioxidants include: (1) watersoluble antioxidants, such as ascorbic acid, cysteine hydrochloride,sodium bisulfate, sodium metabisulfite, sodium sulfite and the like; (2)oil-soluble antioxidants, such as ascorbyl palmitate, butylatedhydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), lecithin, propylgallate, alpha-tocopherol, and the like; and (3) metal chelating agents,such as citric acid, ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA), sorbitol,tartaric acid, phosphoric acid, and the like.

For the therapeutic compositions, formulations of the present inventioninclude those suitable for oral, nasal, topical (including buccal andsublingual), rectal, vaginal and/or parenteral administration. Theformulations may conveniently be presented in unit dosage form and maybe prepared by any methods known in the art of pharmacy. The amount ofactive ingredient which can be combined with a carrier material toproduce a single dosage form will vary depending upon the subject beingtreated, and the particular mode of administration. The amount of activeingredient which can be combined with a carrier material to produce asingle dosage form will generally be that amount of the compositionwhich produces a therapeutic effect.

Generally, out of one hundred percent, this amount will range from about0.01 percent to about ninety-nine percent of active ingredient,preferably from about 0.1 percent to about 70 percent, most preferablyfrom about 1 percent to about 30 percent.

Formulations of the present invention which are suitable for vaginaladministration also include pessaries, tampons, creams, gels, pastes,foams or spray formulations containing such carriers as are known in theart to be appropriate. Dosage forms for the topical or transdermaladministration of compositions of this invention include powders,sprays, ointments, pastes, creams, lotions, gels, solutions, patches andinhalants. The active compound may be mixed under sterile conditionswith a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, and with any preservatives,buffers, or propellants which may be required.

The phrases “parenteral administration” and “administered parenterally”as used herein means modes of administration other than enteral andtopical administration, usually by injection, and includes, withoutlimitation, intravenous, intramuscular, intraarterial, intrathecal,intracapsular, intraorbital, intracardiac, intradermal, intraperitoneal,transtracheal, subcutaneous, subcuticular, intraarticular, subcapsular,subarachnoid, intraspinal, epidural and intrasternal injection andinfusion.

Examples of suitable aqueous and nonaqueous carriers which may beemployed in the pharmaceutical compositions of the invention includewater, ethanol, polyols (such as glycerol, propylene glycol,polyethylene glycol, and the like), and suitable mixtures thereof,vegetable oils, such as olive oil, and injectable organic esters, suchas ethyl oleate. Proper fluidity can be maintained, for example, by theuse of coating materials, such as lecithin, by the maintenance of therequired particle size in the case of dispersions, and by the use ofsurfactants.

These compositions may also contain adjuvants such as preservatives,wetting agents, emulsifying agents and dispersing agents. Prevention ofthe presence of microorganisms may be ensured both by sterilizationprocedures, and by the inclusion of various antibacterial and antifungalagents, for example, paraben, chlorobutanol, phenol sorbic acid, and thelike. It may also be desirable to include isotonic agents, such assugars, sodium chloride, and the like into the compositions. Inaddition, prolonged absorption of the injectable pharmaceutical form maybe brought about by the inclusion of agents which delay absorption suchas aluminum monostearate and gelatin.

In one embodiment the monoclonal antibodies of the invention areadministered in crystalline form by subcutaneous injection, cf. Yang etal. (2003) PNAS, 100 (12): 6934-6939. When the compounds of the presentinvention are administered as pharmaceuticals, to humans and animals,they can be given alone or as a pharmaceutical composition containing,for example, 0.01 to 99.5% (more preferably, 0.1 to 90%) of activeingredient in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

Regardless of the route of administration selected, the compounds of thepresent invention, which may be used in a suitable hydrated form, and/orthe pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention, are formulatedinto pharmaceutically acceptable dosage forms by conventional methodsknown to those of skill in the art.

Actual dosage levels of the active ingredients in the pharmaceuticalcompositions of the present invention may be varied so as to obtain anamount of the active ingredient which is effective to achieve thedesired therapeutic response for a particular patient, composition, andmode of administration, without being toxic to the patient. The selecteddosage level will depend upon a variety of pharmacokinetic factorsincluding the activity of the particular compositions of the presentinvention employed, the route of administration, the time ofadministration, the rate of excretion of the particular compound beingemployed, the duration of the treatment, other drugs, compounds and/ormaterials used in combination with the particular compositions employed,the age, sex, weight, condition, general health and prior medicalhistory of the patient being treated, and like factors well known in themedical arts.

A physician or veterinarian having ordinary skill in the art can readilydetermine and prescribe the effective amount of the pharmaceuticalcomposition required. For example, the physician or veterinarian couldstart doses of the compounds of the invention employed in thepharmaceutical composition at levels lower than that required in orderto achieve the desired therapeutic effect and gradually increase thedosage until the desired effect is achieved. In general, a suitabledaily dose of a composition of the invention will be that amount of thecompound which is the lowest dose effective to produce a therapeuticeffect. Such an effective dose will generally depend upon the factorsdescribed above. It is preferred that administration be intravenous,intramuscular, intraperitoneal, or subcutaneous, preferably administeredproximal to the site of the target. If desired, the effective daily doseof a therapeutic composition may be administered as two, three, four,five, six or more sub-doses administered separately at appropriateintervals throughout the day, optionally, in unit dosage forms. While itis possible for a compound of the present invention to be administeredalone, it is preferable to administer the compound as a pharmaceuticalformulation (composition).

In one embodiment, the antibodies of the invention may be administeredby infusion, preferably slow continuous infusion over a long period,such as more than 24 hours, in order to reduce toxic side effects. Theadministration may also be performed by continuous infusion over aperiod of from 2 to 24 hours, such as of from 2 to 12 hours. Suchregimen may be repeated one or more times as necessary, for example,after 6 months or 12 months. The dosage can be determined or adjusted bymeasuring the amount of circulating monoclonal anti-GT468 antibodiesupon administration in a biological sample by using anti-idiotypicantibodies which target the anti-GT468 antibodies.

In yet another embodiment, the antibodies are administered bymaintenance therapy, such as, e.g., once a week for a period of 6 monthsor more.

In still another embodiment, the antibodies according to the inventionmay be administered by a regimen including one infusion of an antibodyagainst GT468 followed by an infusion of an antibody against GT468conjugated to a radioisotope. The regimen may be repeated, e.g., 7 to 9days later.

Therapeutic compositions can be administered with medical devices knownin the art. For example, in a preferred embodiment, a therapeuticcomposition of the invention can be administered with a needlelesshypodermic injection device, such as the devices disclosed in U.S. Pat.No. 5,399,163; U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,851; U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,335; U.S.Pat. No. 5,064,413; U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,880; U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,824; orU.S. Pat. No. 4,596,556. Examples of well-known implants and modulesuseful in the present invention include those described in: U.S. Pat.No. 4,487,603, which discloses an implantable micro-infusion pump fordispensing medication at a controlled rate; U.S. Pat. No. 4,486,194,which discloses a therapeutic device for administering medicants throughthe skin; U.S. Pat. No. 4,447,233, which discloses a medication infusionpump for delivering medication at a precise infusion rate; U.S. Pat. No.4,447,224, which discloses a variable flow implantable infusionapparatus for continuous drug delivery; U.S. Pat. No. 4,439,196, whichdiscloses an osmotic drug delivery system having multi-chambercompartments; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,196, which discloses an osmoticdrug delivery system.

Many other such implants, delivery systems, and modules are known tothose skilled in the art. In certain embodiments, the antibodies of theinvention can be formulated to ensure proper distribution in vivo. Forexample, the blood-brain barrier (BBB) excludes many highly hydrophiliccompounds. To ensure that the therapeutic compounds of the inventioncross the BBB (if desired), they can be formulated, for example, inliposomes. For methods of manufacturing liposomes, see, e.g., U.S. Pat.No. 4,522,811; U.S. Pat. No. 5,374,548; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,399,331. Theliposomes may comprise one or more moieties which are selectivelytransported into specific cells or organs, and thus enhance targeteddrug delivery (see, e.g., V. V. Ranade (1989) J. Clin. Pharmacol. 29:685). Exemplary targeting moieties include folate or biotin (see, e.g.,U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,016 to Low et al.); mannosides (Umezawa et al.,(1988) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 153: 1038); antibodies (P. G.Bloeman et al. (1995) FEBS Lett. 357: 140; M. Owais et al. (1995)Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 39: 180); and surfactant protein Areceptor (Briscoe et al. (1995) Am. J. Physiol. 1233: 134).

In one embodiment of the invention, the therapeutic compounds of theinvention are formulated in liposomes. In a more preferred embodiment,the liposomes include a targeting moiety. In a most preferredembodiment, the therapeutic compounds in the liposomes are delivered bybolus injection to a site proximal to the desired area, e.g., the siteof a tumor. The composition must be fluid to the extent that easysyringability exists. It must be stable under the conditions ofmanufacture and storage and must be preserved against the contaminatingaction of microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi.

In a further embodiment, antibodies of the invention can be formulatedto prevent or reduce their transport across the placenta. This can bedone by methods known in the art, e.g., by PEGylation of the antibodiesor by use of F(ab)2′ fragments. Further references can be made to“Cunningham-Rundles C, Zhuo Z, Griffith B, Keenan J. (1992) Biologicalactivities of polyethylene-glycol immunoglobulin conjugates. Resistanceto enzymatic degradation. J. Immunol. Methods, 152: 177-190; and to“Landor M. (1995) Maternal-fetal transfer of immunoglobulins, Ann.Allergy Asthma Immunol. 74: 279-283.

A “therapeutically effective dosage” for tumor therapy can be measuredby objective tumor responses which can either be complete or partial. Acomplete response (CR) is defined as no clinical, radiological or otherevidence of disease. A partial response (PR) results from a reduction inaggregate tumor size of greater than 50%. Median time to progression isa measure that characterizes the durability of the objective tumorresponse.

A “therapeutically effective dosage” for tumor therapy can also bemeasured by its ability to stabilize the progression of disease. Theability of a compound to inhibit cancer can be evaluated in an animalmodel system predictive of efficacy in human tumors. Alternatively, thisproperty of a composition can be evaluated by examining the ability ofthe compound to inhibit cell growth or apoptosis by in vitro assaysknown to the skilled practitioner. A therapeutically effective amount ofa therapeutic compound can decrease tumor size, or otherwise amelioratesymptoms in a subject. One of ordinary skill in the art would be able todetermine such amounts based on such factors as the subject's size, theseverity of the subject's symptoms, and the particular composition orroute of administration selected.

The composition must be sterile and fluid to the extent that thecomposition is deliverable by syringe. In addition to water, the carriercan be an isotonic buffered saline solution, ethanol, polyol (forexample, glycerol, propylene glycol, and liquid polyetheylene glycol,and the like), and suitable mixtures thereof. Proper fluidity can bemaintained, for example, by use of coating such as lecithin, bymaintenance of required particle size in the case of dispersion and byuse of surfactants. In many cases, it is preferable to include isotonicagents, for example, sugars, polyalcohols such as mannitol or sorbitol,and sodium chloride in the composition. Long-term absorption of theinjectable compositions can be brought about by including in thecomposition an agent which delays absorption, for example, aluminummonostearate or gelatin.

When the active compound is suitably protected, as described above, thecompound may be orally administered, for example, with an inert diluentor an assimilable edible carrier.

IV. Uses and Methods of the Invention

The antibodies (including immunoconjugates, bispecifics/multispecifics,compositions and other derivatives described herein) of the presentinvention have numerous therapeutic utilities involving the treatment ofdisorders involving cells expressing GT468 and/or being characterized byassociation of GT468 with their cell surface. For example, theantibodies can be administered to cells in culture, e.g., in vitro or exvivo, or to human subjects, e.g., in vivo, to treat or prevent a varietyof disorders such as those described herein. As used herein, the term“subject” is intended to include human and non-human animals whichrespond to the antibodies against GT468. Preferred subjects includehuman patients having disorders that can be corrected or ameliorated bykilling diseased cells, in particular cells characterized by an alteredexpression pattern of GT468 and/or an altered pattern of association ofGT468 with their cell surface compared to normal cells.

For example, in one embodiment, antibodies of the present invention canbe used to treat a subject with a tumorigenic disorder, e.g., a disordercharacterized by the presence of tumor cells expressing GT468 and/orbeing characterized by association of GT468 with their cell surfaceincluding, for example, breast cancer. Examples of tumorigenic diseaseswhich can be treated and/or prevented encompass all GT468 expressingcancers and tumor entities including breast cancer, lung cancer, gastriccancer, ovarian cancer, hepatocellular cancer, colon cancer, pancreaticcancer, esophageal cancer, head & neck cancer, kidney cancer, inparticular renal cell carcinoma, prostate cancer, liver cancer,melanoma, sarcoma, myeloma, neuroblastoma, placental choriocarcinoma,cervical cancer, and thyroid cancer, and the metastatic forms thereof.These cancers may be in early, intermediate or advanced stages, e.g.metastasis. In one embodiment, the cancer disease is metastatic cancerin the lung.

The pharmaceutical compositions and methods of treatment describedaccording to the invention may also be used for immunization orvaccination to prevent a disease described herein.

In another embodiment, antibodies of the invention can be used to detectlevels of GT468 or particular forms of GT468, or levels of cells whichcontain GT468 on their membrane surface, which levels can then be linkedto certain diseases or disease symptoms such as described above.Alternatively, the antibodies can be used to deplete or interact withthe function of cells expressing GT468 and/or being characterized byassociation of GT468 with their cell surface, thereby implicating thesecells as important mediators of the disease. This can be achieved bycontacting a sample and a control sample with the anti-GT468 antibodyunder conditions that allow for the formation of a complex between theantibody and GT468. Any complexes formed between the antibody and GT468are detected and compared in the sample and a control sample, i.e. areference sample.

Antibodies of the invention can be initially tested for their bindingactivity associated with therapeutic or diagnostic uses in vitro. Forexample, the antibodies can be tested using flow cytometric assays asdescribed herein.

Moreover, activity of the antibodies in triggering at least oneeffector-mediated effector cell activity, including inhibiting thegrowth of and/or killing of cells expressing GT468 and/or beingcharacterized by association of GT468 with their cell surface, can beassayed. For example, the ability of the antibodies to trigger CDCand/or apoptosis can be assayed. Protocols for assaying for CDC,homotypic adhesion, molecular clustering or apoptosis are describedherein.

The antibodies of the invention can be used to elicit in vivo or invitro one or more of the following biological activities: to inhibit thegrowth of and/or differentiation of a cell expressing GT468 and/or beingcharacterized by association of GT468 with its cell surface; to kill acell expressing GT468 and/or being characterized by association of GT468with its cell surface; to mediate phagocytosis or ADCC of a cellexpressing GT468 and/or being characterized by association of GT468 withits cell surface in the presence of effector cells; to mediate CDC of acell expressing GT468 and/or being characterized by association of GT468with its cell surface in the presence of complement; to mediateapoptosis of a cell expressing GT468 and/or being characterized byassociation of GT468 with its cell surface; to induce homotypicadhesion; and/or to induce translocation into lipid rafts upon bindingGT468.

In a particular embodiment, the antibodies are used in vivo or in vitroto treat, prevent or diagnose a variety of GT468-related diseases.Examples of GT468-related diseases include, among others, cancers suchas breast cancer, lung cancer, gastric cancer, ovarian cancer,hepatocellular cancer, colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, esophagealcancer, head & neck cancer, kidney cancer, in particular renal cellcarcinoma, prostate cancer, liver cancer, melanoma, sarcoma, myeloma,neuroblastoma, placental choriocarcinoma, cervical cancer, and thyroidcancer, and the metastatic forms thereof. In one embodiment, the cancerdisease is metastatic cancer in the lung.

Suitable routes of administering the antibody compositions of theinvention in vivo and in vitro are well known in the art and can beselected by those of ordinary skill.

As described above, anti-GT468 antibodies of the invention can beco-administered with one or other more therapeutic agents, e.g., acytotoxic agent, a radiotoxic agent, antiangiogeneic agent or andimmunosuppressive agent to reduce the induction of immune responsesagainst the antibodies of invention. The antibody can be linked to theagent (as an immunocomplex) or can be administered separate from theagent. In the latter case (separate administration), the antibody can beadministered before, after or concurrently with the agent or can beco-administered with other known therapies, e.g., an anti-cancertherapy, e.g., radiation. Such therapeutic agents include, among others,anti-neoplastic agents such as listed above. Co-administration of theanti-GT468 antibodies of the present invention with chemotherapeuticagents provides two anti-cancer agents which operate via differentmechanisms yielding a cytotoxic effect to tumor cells. Suchco-administration can solve problems due to development of resistance todrugs or a change in the antigenicity of the tumor cells which wouldrender them unreactive with the antibody.

In another particular embodiment of the invention, the subject beingadministered the antibody is additionally treated with an antiagionicagent including antibodies targeting VEGF or VEGFR and one or morechemical compounds inhibiting angiogenesis. Pretreatment with orparallel application of these drugs may improve the penetration ofantibodies in bulk tumors.

In another particular embodiment of the invention, the subject beingadministered the antibody is additionally treated with a compoundinhibiting growth factor receptor signaling including monoclonalantibodies binding to the EGFR receptor as well as chemical compoundsinhibiting signaling initiated by the EGFR, Her1 or Her2/neu receptor.

Target-specific effector cells, e.g., effector cells linked tocompositions (e.g. antibodies, multispecific and bispecific molecules)of the invention can also be used as therapeutic agents. Effector cellsfor targeting can be human leukocytes such as macrophages, neutrophilsor monocytes. Other cells include eosinophils, natural killer cells andother IgG- or IgA-receptor bearing cells. If desired, effector cells canbe obtained from the subject to be treated. The target-specific effectorcells can be administered as a suspension of cells in a physiologicallyacceptable solution. The number of cells administered can be in theorder of 10⁸ to 10⁹ but will vary depending on the therapeutic purpose.In general, the amount will be sufficient to obtain localization at thetarget cell, e.g., a tumor cell expressing GT468 and/or beingcharacterized by association of GT468 with its cell surface, and toeffect cell killing by, e.g., phagocytosis. Routes of administration canalso vary.

Therapy with target-specific effector cells can be performed inconjunction with other techniques for removal of targeted cells. Forexample, anti-tumor therapy using the compositions of the inventionand/or effector cells armed with these compositions can be used inconjunction with chemotherapy. Additionally, combination immunotherapymay be used to direct two distinct cytotoxic effector populations towardtumor cell rejection. For example, anti-GT468 antibodies linked toanti-Fc-RI or anti-CD3 may be used in conjunction with IgG- orIgA-receptor specific binding agents.

Bispecific and multispecific molecules of the invention can also be usedto modulate Fc-gammaR or Fc-alphaR levels on effector cells, such as bycapping and eliminating receptors on the cell surface. Mixtures ofanti-Fc receptors can also be used for this purpose.

The compositions (e.g., antibodies, multispecific and bispecificmolecules and immunoconjugates) of the invention which have complementbinding sites, such as portions from IgG1, -2, or -3 or IgM which bindcomplement, can also be used in the presence of complement. In oneembodiment, ex vivo treatment of a population of cells comprising targetcells with a binding agent of the invention and appropriate effectorcells can be supplemented by the addition of complement or serumcontaining complement. Phagocytosis of target cells coated with abinding agent of the invention can be improved by binding of complementproteins. In another embodiment target cells coated with thecompositions of the invention can also be lysed by complement. In yetanother embodiment, the compositions of the invention do not activatecomplement.

The compositions of the invention can also be administered together withcomplement. Accordingly, within the scope of the invention arecompositions comprising antibodies, multispecific or bispecificmolecules and serum or complement. These compositions are advantageousin that the complement is located in close proximity to the antibodies,multispecific or bispecific molecules.

Alternatively, the antibodies, multispecific or bispecific molecules ofthe invention and the complement or serum can be administeredseparately. Binding of the compositions of the present invention totarget cells may cause translocation of the GT468 antigen-antibodycomplex into lipid rafts of the cell membrane. Such translocationcreates a high density of antigen-antibody complexes which mayefficiently activate and/or enhance CDC.

Also within the scope of the present invention are kits comprising theantibody compositions of the invention (e.g., antibodies andimmunoconjugates) and instructions for use. The kit can further containone or more additional reagents, such as an immunosuppressive reagent, acytotoxic agent or a radiotoxic agent, or one or more additionalantibodies of the invention (e.g., an antibody having a complementaryactivity).

Accordingly, patients treated with antibody compositions of theinvention can be additionally administered (prior to, simultaneouslywith, or following administration of a antibody of the invention) withanother therapeutic agent, such as a cytotoxic or radiotoxic agent,which enhances or augments the therapeutic effect of the antibodies ofthe invention.

In other embodiments, the subject can be additionally treated with anagent that modulates, e.g., enhances or inhibits, the expression oractivity of Fc-gamma or Fc-alpha receptors by, for example, treating thesubject with a cytokine. Preferred cytokines include granulocytecolony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), granulocyte-macrophagecolony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and tumornecrosis factor (TNF). Other important agents for increasing thetherapeutic efficacy of the antibodies and pharmaceutical compositionsdescribed herein are β-glucans which are homopolysaccharides of branchedglucose residues and are produced by a variety of plants andmicroorganisms, for example, bacteria, algae, fungi, yeast and grains.Fragments of β-glucans produced by organisms may be also be used.Preferably, the β-glucan is a polymer of β(1,3) glucose wherein at leastsome of the backbone glucose units, e.g. 3-6% of the backbone glucoseunits, possess branches such as β(1,6) branches.

In a particular embodiment, the invention provides methods for detectingthe presence of GT468 antigen in a sample, or measuring the amount ofGT468 antigen, comprising contacting the sample, and a control sample,with an antibody which specifically binds to GT468, under conditionsthat allow for formation of a complex between the antibody or portionthereof and GT468. The formation of a complex is then detected, whereina difference complex formation between the sample compared to thecontrol sample is indicative for the presence of GT468 antigen in thesample.

In still another embodiment, the invention provides a method fordetecting the presence or quantifying the amount of cells expressingGT468 and/or being characterized by association of GT468 with their cellsurface in vivo or in vitro. The method comprises (i) administering to asubject a composition of the invention conjugated to a detectablemarker; and (ii) exposing the subject to a means for detecting saiddetectable marker to identify areas containing cells expressing GT468and/or being characterized by association of GT468 with their cellsurface.

Methods as described above are useful, in particular, for diagnosingGT468-related diseases and/or the localization of GT468-related diseasessuch as cancer diseases. Preferably an amount of GT468 in a sample whichis higher than the amount of GT468 in a control sample is indicative forthe presence of a GT468-related disease in a subject, in particular ahuman, from which the sample is derived.

When used in methods as described above, an antibody described hereinmay be provided with a label that functions to: (i) provide a detectablesignal; (ii) interact with a second label to modify the detectablesignal provided by the first or second label, e.g. FRET (FluorescenceResonance Energy Transfer); (iii) affect mobility, e.g. electrophoreticmobility, by charge, hydrophobicity, shape, or other physicalparameters, or (iv) provide a capture moiety, e.g., affinity,antibody/antigen, or ionic complexation. Suitable as label arestructures, such as fluorescent labels, luminescent labels, chromophorelabels, radioisotopic labels, isotopic labels, preferably stableisotopic labels, isobaric labels, enzyme labels, particle labels, inparticular metal particle labels, magnetic particle labels, polymerparticle labels, small organic molecules such as biotin, ligands ofreceptors or binding molecules such as cell adhesion proteins orlectins, label-sequences comprising nucleic acids and/or amino acidresidues which can be detected by use of binding agents, etc. Labelscomprise, in a nonlimiting manner, barium sulfate, iocetamic acid,iopanoic acid, calcium ipodate, sodium diatrizoate, megluminediatrizoate, metrizamide, sodium tyropanoate and radio diagnostic,including positron emitters such as fluorine-18 and carbon-11, gammaemitters such as iodine-123, technetium-99m, iodine-131 and indium-111,nuclides for nuclear magnetic resonance, such as fluorine andgadolinium.

In yet another embodiment immunoconjugates of the invention can be usedto target compounds (e.g., therapeutic agents, labels, cytotoxins,radiotoxins immunosuppressants, etc.) to cells which have GT468associated with their surface by linking such compounds to the antibody.Thus, the invention also provides methods for localizing ex vivo or invitro cells expressing GT468 and/or being characterized by associationof GT468 with their cell surface, such as circulating tumor cells.

The present invention is further illustrated by the following exampleswhich are not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Materials and Methods

The techniques and methods mentioned herein are carried out in a mannerknown per se and as described, for example, in Sambrook et al.,Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 2nd Edition (1989) Cold SpringHarbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., or as describedbelow. All methods including the use of kits and reagents are carriedout according to the manufacturers' information.

Tissues and Cell Lines

Recombinant DNA work was done with the official permission and accordingto the rules of the state government of Rheinland-Pfalz. Tissues wereobtained as human surplus materials during routine diagnostic ortherapeutic procedures and were stored at −80° C. until use. Breastcancer cell lines MCF-7 and BT549 were cultured in DMEM/10% FCS.

RNA-Isolation, RT-PCR and Real-Time RT-PCR

RNA extraction, first-strand cDNA synthesis, RT-PCR and real-time RT-PCRwere performed as previously described (Koslowski, M., Sahin, U., Huber,C. & Tureci, O. (2006) Hum. Mol. Genet. 15, 2392-2399). For end-pointanalysis GT468-specific oligonucleotides (sense 5′-AAA TTT GGC AGC TGCCTT CAC-3′; antisense 5′-TGA TGC CAC ATT CAG TAA CAC-3′, 60° C.annealing) were used in a 35 cycle RT-PCR. Real-time quantitativeexpression analysis was performed in triplicates in a 40 cycle RT-PCR.After normalization to HPRT (sense 5′-TGA CAC TGG CAA AAC AAT GCA-3′;antisense 5′-GGT CCT TTT CAC CAG CAA GCT-3′, 62° C. annealing) GT468transcripts in tumor samples were quantified relative to normal tissuesusing AACT calculation. Specificity of PCR reactions was confirmed bycloning and sequencing of amplification products from arbitrarilyselected samples.

Bioinformatics

For in silico cloning of trophoblast-specific molecules a data miningstrategy described in detail elsewhere was modified and adapted(Koslowski, M., Bell, C., Seitz, G., Lehr, H. A., Roemer, K.,Muntefering, H., Huber, C., Sahin, U. & Tureci, O. (2004) Cancer Res.64, 5988-5993; Koslowski, M., Tureci, O., Bell, C., Krause, P., Lehr, H.A., Brunner, J., Seitz, G., Nestle, F. O., Huber, C. & Sahin, U. (2002)Cancer Res. 62, 6750-6755; Koslowski, M., Sahin, U., Huber, C. & Tureci,O. (2006) Hum. Mol. Genet. 15, 2392-2399). Briefly, hierarchical keywordsearch of GenBank was combined with digital cDNA-library subtraction.

For keyword search nucleotide sequence files at GenBank were accessedfor genes annotated to be specifically expressed in placenta ortrophoblast tissue using the ENTREZ Search and Retrieval System(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Entrez). The sequence homology-searchingprogram BLASTN (http://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/blast) was run sequentially foreach nucleotide sequence against all of the human nucleotide sequencesto prevent redundancies. As a second filter electronic Northern(eNorthern) was performed for all clones obtained by keyword search byBLAST search of each DNA sequences of interest against EST database atNCBI (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/BLAST). It was taken intoconsideration that several cDNA libraries in the public domain are notproperly annotated (Scheurle, D., DeYoung, M. P., Binninger, D. M.,Page, H., Jahanzeb, M. & Narayanan, R. (2000) Cancer Res. 60,4037-4043).

For digital subtraction the cDNA xProfiler tool of the Cancer GenomeAnatomy Project at NCBI (http://cgap.nci.nih.gov/Tissues/xProfiler) wasused, which compares gene expression between two pools (A and B) of cDNAlibraries where each pool can be either a single library or severallibraries. The search options for Pool A and Pool B were set to “Homosapiens” for Organism and “all EST libraries” for Library Group tosearch all cDNA libraries in dbEST. All cDNA libraries prepared fromplacenta and trophoblast tissue matching the search option settings wereassigned to Pool A excluding mixed tissue libraries. For Pool B all cDNAlibraries prepared from normal tissues except placenta, trophoblast,testis, ovary and whole body fetus were selected.

For analysis of the GT468 promotor region EMBOSS CpGPlot (Rice, P.,Longden, I. & Bleasby, A. (2000) Trends Genet. 16, 276-277) software wasused. Moreover, analysis of the GT468 protein sequence was conductedwith MEMSAT3 (Jones, D. T., Taylor, W. R. & Thornton, J. M. (1994)Biochemistry 33, 3038-3049), TMpred (Hofmann, K. & Stoffel, W. (1993)Biol. Chem. Hoppe-Seyler 374, 166), and GOR IV (Garnier, J., Osguthorpe,D. J. & Robson, B. (1978) J. Mol. Biol. 120, 97-120).

Antisera, Immunofluorescence and Immunochemistry

The polyclonal antiserum raised against aa 117-127 of GT468 wasgenerated by a custom antibody service (Squarix, Marl, Germany).Immunohistochemistry was performed on tissue cryosections using theVECTOR NovaRED Substrate Kit (Vector, Burlingame, Calif.) according tothe manufacturer's instructions. For Western blot analysis 30 μg oftotal protein extracted from cells lyzed with Triton-X was used.Extracts were diluted in reducing sample buffer (Roth, Karlsruhe,Germany), subjected to SDS-PAGE and subsequently electrotransferred ontoPVDF membrane (Pall, East Hills, N.Y.). Immunostaining was performedwith antibodies reactive to pAKT (Cell Signaling, Danvers, Mass.), AKT(Cell Signaling, Danvers, Mass.), cyclin D1 (Santa Cruz Biotechnology,Santa Cruz, Calif.) and beta-Actin (Abeam, Cambridge, UK) followed bydetection of primary antibody with horseradish-peroxidase conjugatedgoat anti-mouse and goat anti-rabbit secondary antibodies (Dako,Glostrup, Denmark).

siRNA Duplexes

The GT468 siRNA duplex (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany) (sense 5′-r(CCA UGA GAGUAG CCA GCA)dTdT-3′, antisense 5′-r(UUG CUG GCU ACU CUC AUG G)dAdG-3′)targeted nucleotides 670-690 of the GT468 mRNA sequence(NM_(—)021796.3). As control a scrambled siRNA duplex (sense 5′-r(UAACUG UAU AAU CGA CUA G)dTdT-5′, antisense 5′-r(CUA GUC GAU UAU ACA GUUA)dGdA-3′) was used. For GT468 silencing studies cells were transfectedwith 10 nM siRNA duplex using HiPerFect transfection reagent (Qiagen)according to the manufacturer's instructions. All results werereproduced with a second set of GT468 siRNA duplexes (sense 5′-r(GGU UCAGGA CAA AGU CCA A)dTdT-3′, antisense 5′-r(UUG GAC UUU GUC CUG AACC)dGdG-3′) targeting nucleotides 342-362.

Cell Proliferation Analysis Following Transfection of siRNA

24 h after transfection with siRNA duplexes 1×10⁴ cells were culturedfor 48 h in medium supplemented with 10% FCS. Proliferation was analyzedby measuring the incorporation of BrdU into newly synthesized DNAstrands using the DELFIA cell proliferation Kit (Perkin Elmer, Boston,Mass.) according to the manufacturer's instructions on a Wallac Victor²multi-label counter (Perkin Elmer, Boston, Mass.).

Cell Cycle Analysis

Cells were cultured in medium supplemented with 10% FCS in varyingconcentrations. 72 h after transfection with siRNA duplexes cells wereharvested, EtOH-fixed, and stained with propidiumiodide prior to flowcytometric DNA content analysis. Cells in the different phases of thecell cycle were quantified using CellQuest™ Pro (BD, Franklin Lakes,N.J.) and FlowJo™ (Tree Star, Ashland, Oreg.) flow cytometric analysissoftware. Apoptotic cells were quantified by AnnexinV staining 48 h and72 h after siRNA transfection.

Cell Migration and In Vitro Invasion Assay

Cell migration assays were conducted in transwell chambers with 8.0 μmpore membranes (BD Biosciences, San Jose, Calif.) with cells cultured inserum-free medium for 12 h prior to experiments. For siRNA experimentscells were transferred to serum-free conditions 24 h after transfectionwith siRNA duplexes as described above. 4×10⁴ cells in 400 μl serum-freeculture medium were added to the upper chamber. The bottom chamberscontained 800 μl culture medium supplemented with 5% FCS aschemoattractant. 24 h later cells that had migrated to the bottom sideof the membrane were fixed in ice-cold methanol; membranes were excised,placed on microscope slides and mounted with Hoechst (Dako, Glostrup,Denmark) for fluorescence microscopy. Cells in five random visual fields(100× magnification) were counted for each membrane. All experimentswere done in triplicates. Effects on chemokinesis of cells were analyzedusing the same experimental setup with chemoattractant added to both theupper and lower chamber. For in vitro invasion assays the upper chamberswere prepared with 100 μl of Matrigel (BD Biosciences, San Jose, N.J.)diluted to 1 mg/ml in serum free medium. Chambers were incubated at 37°C. for 5 h for gelling.

Cell Proliferation Analysis Following Incubation with Antibodies

Endogenously GT468-expressing cancer cell lines BT-549, Caov-3, EFO-21,MCF-7, and MDA-MB-231 were incubated with hybridoma supernatant diluted1:2 in DMEM cell culture medium for 72 h. Proliferation was analyzed bymeasuring the incorporation of BrdU into newly synthesized DNA strandsusing the DELFIA cell proliferation Kit (Perkin Elmer) according to themanufacturer's instructions on a Wallac Victor2 multi-label counter(Perkin Elmer).

Alternatively, endogenously GT468-expressing cancer cell lines SK-BR-3and MCF-7, respectively, were incubated with HPLC-purified hybridomasupernatants diluted in DMEM cell culture medium for 72 h or 120 h atconcentrations as indicated. Proliferation was analyzed as describedabove.

Alternatively, endogenously GT468-expressing cancer cell lines SK-BR-3,MCF-7, MDA-MB-468, and GT468 negative melanoma cell line MelHo ascontrol were incubated with FPLC-purified hybridoma supernatants (10μg/ml and 50 μg/ml) diluted in DMEM (SK-BR-3, MCF-7, MDA-MB-468) or RPMI(MelHo) cell culture medium for 72 h. Proliferation was analyzed bymeasuring the incorporation of BrdU into newly synthesized DNA strandsusing the DELFIA cell proliferation Kit (Perkin Elmer) according to themanufacturer's instructions on a Wallac Victor2 multi-label counter(Perkin Elmer).

Immunofluorescence Microscopy

In order to demonstrate presence of anti-GT468 antibodies in sera ofimmunized mice or binding of monoclonal antibodies to living cellsexpressing GT468, immunofluorescence microscopy analysis was used. CHOcells transfected with GT468-eGFP were grown in chamber slides understandard growth conditions in DMEM/F12 medium, supplemented with 10%fetal calf serum (FCS), 2 mM L-glutamine, 100 IU/ml penicillin and 100μg/ml streptomycin. Cells then were fixed with methanol orparaformaldehyde/0.1% Saponin. Cells were incubated with antibodiesagainst GT468 for 60 min. at 25° C. After washing, cells were incubatedwith an Alexa555-labelled anti-mouse IgG secondary antibody (MolecularProbes) under the same conditions.

GT468 Peptide-Specific ELISA

MaxiSorp or Microwell plates (Nunc) were coated for one hour at 37° C.with the relevant GT468 peptide (5 or 10 μg/ml). Blocking was performedwith PBS 3% BSA overnight at 4° C. After washing with PBS, the plateswere loaded with hybridoma supernatants (diluted 1:5 or 1:10 in PBS/3%BSA or diluted 1:2 in 2×PBS/6% BSA, pH 7.3) or purified antibody(diluted 1 μg/ml in PBS/3% BSA, pH 7.3) and incubated for 1 h at roomtemperature (orbital shaking at 90 rpm). Secondary antibody(HRPO-conjugated goat anti-mouse IgG, subclasses 1+2a+2b+3, JacksonImmunoResearch) in PBS 3% BSA, pH 7.3 was added after washing with PBS,and incubated for 1 h at room temperature with orbital shaking at 90rpm. After a final washing step with PBS, substrate solution consistingof 1 mM or 1.5 mM ABTS in 100 mM sodium acetate (pH 5.2) was added.Immediately before use, the substrate solution was supplemented with 0.3μl per ml of 30% H₂O₂. Absorption at 405 nm was measured on a TecanSafire Plate reader (Tecan) after 30-60 min.

Generation of Hybridomas Producing Human Monoclonal Antibodies to GT468

Mouse splenocytes were isolated from animals which had been immunizedpreviously using different immunization protocols as described below andfused with PEG to a mouse myeloma cell line based on standard protocols.The resulting hybridomas were then screened for production ofimmunoglobulines with GT468 specificity using peptide-specific ELISA,GT468 CrELISA and CHO cells transfected with GT468-eGFP by IF.

Single cell suspensions of splenic lymphocytes from immunized mice werefused with P3X63Ag8U.1 nonsecreting mouse myeloma cells (ATCC, CRL 1597)(or P3X63Ag8.653 mouse myeloma cells (ATCC, CRL 1580) in the case of56-4A-2 and 62-9B-1) in a 2:1 ratio using 50% PEG (Roche Diagnostics,CRL 738641). Cells were plated at approximately 3×10⁴/well in flatbottom microtiter plates, followed by about two week incubation inselective medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum, 2% hybridoma fusionand cloning supplement (HFCS, Roche Diagnostics, CRL 1 363 735) plus 10mM HEPES, 0.055 mM 2-mercaptoethanol, 50 mg/ml gentamycin and 1×HAT(Sigma, CRL H0262). After 10 to 14 days individual wells were screenedby peptide-specific ELISA for anti-GT468 monoclonal antibodies. Theantibody secreting hybridomas were replated, screened again and, ifstill positive for anti-GT468 monoclonal antibodies, were subcloned bylimiting dilution. The stable subclones were then cultured in vitro togenerate small amounts of antibody in tissue culture medium forcharacterization. At least one clone from each hybridoma, which retainedthe reactivity of parent cells (by ELISA and IF), was chosen.

Monoclonal Antibody Purification from Hybridoma Supernatants

Antibody was prepared from hybridoma supernatants by performingsingle-step affinity chromatography using HiTrap™ MabSelect SuRe™. Afterelution with 100 mM citrate, pH 3.0-pH 4.0 depending on the antibodyisotype, the collected fractions were immediately neutralized with 1 MTris, pH 8.0. For further experiments the antibody preparations weredialysed twice against 5 L PBS, sterile filtered (0.2 mm) and stored at4° C.

Isotyping

For isotyping of hybridoma supernatants, IsoStrip Mouse MonoclonalAntibody Isotyping Kit (Roche) was used as described by themanufacturer.

CrELISA Procedure Using Crude Lysates of GT468 Expressing BacterialLysates

Preparation of the Antigen

E. coli XLOLR bacteria were transformed either with GT468 pQE plasmid orinsertless pQE (will be referred to as “reference”) and grown in LBmedium to A600 nm ˜0.35 E. Protein expression was induced with 2 mMIPTG, and cells were allowed to grow for an additional 4 h at 37° C.Proper induction of protein expression and its kinetics were monitoredby Coomassie gel analysis. Bacteria were spun down and resuspended in asmall volume of PBS pH 7.2 containing 0.2 mM protease inhibitorAEBSF-hydrochloride (AppliChem). Cells were placed on ice and disruptedby sonication (Branson Sonic Power A Smithkline). GT468 and referencelysates were diluted to a total protein concentration of 2 mg/ml in PBScontaining 0.2 mM AEBSF and 20% (v/v) glycerol. Aliquots wereshock-frozen in nitrogen and stored at −70° C. until use.

Conduction of the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay

Before use, GT468, as well as the reference lysates, was diluted incoating buffer (100 mM HEPES, pH 7.2), then transferred to flat-bottomF96 Maxisorp microwell plates (50 μl/well, Nunc) and adsorbed for 2 h at37° C.

After antigen immobilization, plates were washed twice with washingbuffer (50 mM Tris, 150 mM sodium chloride, pH 7.2) containing 0.1%Tween 20, and subsequently twice without detergent. Fifty microlitershuman sera diluted 1:100 was added per well and incubated for 1 h on anorbital shaker at ambient temperature. In some experiments, human serawere pretreated before subjecting them to the assay.

Each individual serum sample was tested in duplicate in parallel onwells coated with GT468 or reference lysate. Plates were washed again asdescribed above and incubated for 1 h at room temperature with 50μl/well of secondary antibody (goat anti-human IgG-AP, Dianova) diluted1:5000 in 50 mM HEPES (pH 7.4) containing 3% (w/v) milk powder. Plateswere developed with 100 μl/well of substrate solution [2 mg4-nitrophenyl phosphate disodium salt hexahydrate (Merck) per mlALP-buffer (Roche Diagnostics, Mannheim, Germany)] for 30 min at roomtemperature, and absorbance values immediately read at 405 nm on amicroplate reader (Victor2 Wallac, Perkin-Elmer, Turku, Finland).

Flow Cytometric Analysis

HEK293 cells transfected with GT468 pcDNA3.1 plasmid or insertlessplasmid (mock) were harvested, fixed with ice-cold methanol, and blockedwith PBS/10% FCS for 30 min. Cells were incubated with hybridomasupernatant for 1 h, washed twice with PBS/1 FCS for 10 min, andincubated with a goat anti-mouse Cy3 secondary antibody (JacksonImmunoResearch Laboratories).

Furthermore, SK-BR-3, MCF-7, MDA-MB-468, NUG-C4 cells, or HEK293 cellstransfected with GT468 plasmid DNA or insertless plasmid (mock) wereharvested, and blocked with PBS/5% FCS/0.1% sodium azide. Cells wereincubated with hybridoma supernatant or 5 ug/ml purified antibodydiluted in PBS/5% FCS/0.1% sodium azide for 1 h, washed three times withPBS/5% FCS/0.1% sodium azide for 5 min, and incubated with a goatanti-mouse APC secondary antibody (Jackson ImmunoResearch Laboratories).The cells were analysed using an FACS array from Becton Dickinson.

Clonogenic Assay

The clonogenic assay or colony formation assay is an in vitro cellsurvival assay to analyze the ability of a single cell to grow into acolony. This assay was performed to determine the effectiveness of GT468antibodies on the capacity to produce colonies. GT468-expressing SK-BR-3cells were seeded in 48-well plates (2000 cells/well). Cells wereallowed to grow for 2 weeks in the presence of FPLC-purified antibodiesfrom hybridoma supernatants (45 μg/ml), all assays were done intriplicates. Colonies were fixed and stained with 6% glutaraldehyde(vol/vol) and 0.5% crystal violet (wt/vol). Pictures were taken fromstained and dried plates using an Olympus digital compact camera (C-750Ultra Zoom) and analyzed visually.

Western Blots

Whole cell lysates of HEK293 cells transfected with GT468 pcDNA3.1plasmid or insertless plasmid (mock) were prepared using Triton-X basedlysis buffer (50 mM HEPES (pH 7.4), 10% (v/v) Glycerol, 1% (v/v) TritonX-100, 150 mM NaCl, 1.5 mM MgCl₂, 5 mM EDTA, 100 mM NaF). Extracts werediluted in reducing sample buffer (Roth), subjected to SDS-PAGE andsubsequently electrotransferred onto PVDF membrane (Pall).Immunostaining was performed with a polyclonal antibody reactive toGT468 (Koslowski et al. 2007) or FPLC-purified antibodies from hybridomasupernatants (5 μg/ml) followed by detection of primary antibody withhorseradish-peroxidase conjugated goat anti-rabbit secondary antibodies(Jackson ImmunoResearch Laboratories).

Early Treatment Xenograft Model

5×10⁶ GT468 positive BEWO placental choriocarcinoma cells were injecteds.c. into nude mice. 3 days after inoculation of tumor cells animalswere treated with purified monoclonal antibodies (200 μg i.v., 8 animalsper group). Antibodies were given twice a week for 2 weeks. Tumor growthwas monitored using caliper rule.

Experimental Metastasis Assay

One week prior to injection of estrogen-dependent MCF-7 cells athymicnude mice were prepared by s.c. implantation of a 1713-estradioltime-release pellet (1 mg, 60 day-release; Innovative Research ofAmerica). After injection of 1×10⁶ MCF-7 cells i.v. animals were treatedwith purified monoclonal antibodies (200 μg) twice a week. Real-time PCRwas used for quantification of the tumor load in the lungs of athymicmice (5-8 animals per group) five weeks after injection of cells. DNAfrom lung tissues was extracted using QIAamp DNA Mini Kit (Qiagen) and a226 by fragment of the alpha-satellite region of the human chromosome 17(sense 5′-CAG CTG ACT AAA CAG AAG CAG-3′; antisense 5′-GAG TTG AAT GCAGTC ATC ACA G-3′) was amplified from 200 ng DNA. The tumor load (DNAcopy number) was quantified in reference to normal lungs from healthycontrol mice.

Example 2 GT468 is Aberrantly Activated and Highly Expressed In VariousTumors

To identify placenta-specific trophoblastic genes, a genome-wide datamining strategy was adapted, which we had originally developed for insilico identification of germ cell-specific molecules (Koslowski, M.,Bell, C., Seitz, G., Lehr, H. A., Roemer, K., Muntefering, H., Huber,C., Sahin, U. & Tureci, O. (2004) Cancer Res. 64, 5988-5993; Koslowski,M., Tureci, O., Bell, C., Krause, P., Lehr, H. A., Brunner, J., Seitz,G., Nestle, F. O., Huber, C. & Sahin, U. (2002) Cancer Res. 62,6750-6755; Koslowski, M., Sahin, U., Huber, C. & Tureci, O. (2006) Hum.Mol. Genet. 15, 2392-2399). In principle, hierarchical keyword search ofGenBank was combined with digital cDNA-library subtraction forprediction of authentically placenta-specific genes. GT468 wasidentified by this approach.

GT468 mRNA was investigated in a comprehensive set of normal andneoplastic tissue specimens by end-point RT-PCR and quantitativereal-time RT-PCR. It was confirmed that GT468 expression is confined toplacenta. In all other normal tissue specimens transcript amounts arebelow or just at the detection limit of highly sensitive RT-PCR (FIG.1A, B, C, Tab. 1). The only exception is testis, albeit with transcriptlevels 3 to 4 logs lower than those observed in placenta.

TABLE 1 Expression of GT468 in tissues and cell lines typed by end-pointRT-PCR GT468 expression Normal tissues Testis 2/3 Placenta 3/3 Brain 0/3Lung 0/3 Breast 0/3 Colon 0/3 Liver 0/3 Stomach 0/3 Kidney 0/3 Prostate0/3 Pancreas 0/3 Ovary 0/3 Spleen 0/3 Skin 0/2 Myocard 0/2 Endometrium0/3 rest. PBMCs 0/3 prolif. PBMCs 1/6 Small intestine 0/3 Thymus 0/2Adrenal gland 0/2 Cancerous tissues Breast cancer 44/62 Lung cancer21/50 Gastric cancer 18/31 Ovarian cancer 2/9 Hepatocellular carcinoma1/5 Cancer cell lines 22/40

In 38% (86/225) of primary tumor specimens across different cancer typesand 55% (22/40) of tumor cell lines, however, aberrant activation ofthis gene with otherwise tightly controlled transcription was found.Prevalence and transcript levels of GT468 were highest in breast cancerand breast cancer cell lines (FIG. 1A, B, C). 44 of 62 (82%) primarybreast cancer samples scored positive for GT468 expression (defined asat least 100-fold above background in non-trophoblastic normal tissues),with 24% (15/62) showing low (100-1000 fold), 40% (25/62) showingmoderate (1000-10.000 fold), and 17% (11/62) showing high (>10.000 fold)expression (FIG. 1B). Moreover, we found GT468 transcription in 21 of 50(42%) lung cancer samples as well as in gastric and ovarian cancer (Tab.1). Induction of GT468 did not correlate with histological subtype,tumor stage or tumor grade.

Using real-time RT-PCR, only trace amounts of GT468 transcripts could bedetected in normal tissues after 40 cycles of RT-PCR. The only normaltissue exceeding the expression cutoff (dashed line, mean expression ofall normal tissues+3 STDs (99% percentile)) were placenta and testis(FIG. 20A). In addition to breast cancer, we found high expression ofGT468 in samples from lung cancer, ovarian cancer, gastric cancer,prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, renal cell cancer, hepatic cancer,sarcoma, thyroid cancer, and head and neck cancer (FIG. 20B).

Western blot analysis of GT468 expression in HEK293 cells transfectedwith GT468 expression plasmid (positive control), SK-BR-3 (breastcancer), BEWO (placental choriocarcinoma), JAR (placentalchoriocarcinoma), HCT-15 (colon cancer), LnCaP (prostate cancer), HeLa(cervical cancer), MDA-MB-468 (breast cancer), JEG-3 (placentalchoriocarcinoma), JIMT-1 (breast cancer), LA1-55n (neuroblastoma), PC-3(prostate cancer), BT-20 (breast cancer), and NCI-H929 (myeloma)demonstrated expression of GT468 in these cancer cell lines (FIG. 21).MelHO (malignant melanoma) and NUGC4 (gastric cancer) were testednegative.

Example 3 GT468 is Located on the Surface of Cancer Cells and isAccessible for Antibodies

A polyclonal rabbit antibody (rabbit anti-GT468/C-term) against aGT468-specific peptide epitope (aa 117-127 of SEQ ID NO: 2) was raised.Specificity of the antibody was verified by gene silencing of GT468using small interfering RNA (siRNA). To exclude siRNA off targetactivity experiments were conducted with two sets of GT468 specificsiRNA duplexes, a scrambled non-silencing oligonucleotide andnon-transfected cells. By transfecting breast cancer cell lines MCF-7and BT-549 with these siRNA duplexes a stable and reproducible reductionof constitutive GT468 mRNA expression by 80-90% compared to controls wasachieved (FIG. 1D). Consistent with this observation, the 26 kDa band,detected in accordance with the predicted size of GT468 in Western blot,nearly completely disappeared in both cell lines (FIG. 1E), proving bothrobust knockdown of GT468 protein expression and specificity of theantibody.

Western Blot staining of GT468 protein in primary human tissue sampleswith rabbit anti-GT468/C-term confirmed that this gene is detectable inbreast cancer specimens in levels comparable to placenta as the onlynormal tissue it is expressed in (FIG. 1F). Immunohistochemistry withrabbit anti-GT468/C-term on human breast tumor sections showed specificimmunoreactivity in specimens typed positive for GT468 mRNA expressionby RT-PCR. Staining was confined to the neoplastic cell population,whereas adjacent stromal and non-neoplastic epithelial cells as well aspatient matched normal tissues were not reactive (FIG. 1G).Immunostaining of tumor cells was accentuated at the plasma membrane,providing evidence that GT468 is a cell surface protein.

In silico analysis of the topology of the GT468 protein sequencepredicted a hydrophobic domain spanning aa 5 to 22 followed by a largeextracellular domain constituted by aa 23 to 212. Amino acids 29 to 119of the extracellular part of GT468 represent a truncated zona pellucida(ZP) domain. The ZP domain is found in a variety of extracellularlyexposed receptor-like proteins, including TGF-beta receptor type III,uromodulin, glycoprotein GP2 as well as the sperm receptors ZP2 and ZP3(Bork, P. & Sander, C. (1992) FEBS Lett. 300, 237-240) and is involvedin polymerization (Jovine, L., Janssen, W. G., Litscher, E. S. &Wassarman, P. M. (2006) BMC. Biochem. 7, 11). The subcellularlocalization of constitutively expressed GT468 was assessed byimmunofluorescence microscopy of MCF-7 and BT-549 breast cancer cellsstained with rabbit anti-GT468/C-term, which has its epitope (aa 117 to127) in the presumably extracellular part of the protein. Both celllines displayed distinct staining at the cell membrane (FIG. 2A). Lossof signal upon siRNA-induced knock down of GT468 expression confirmedthe specificity of the staining. Most importantly, specific membranestaining was observed not only on methanol-fixed but also non-fixed,native cells (FIG. 2B) implying that the epitope of the antibody isaccessible without permeabilization of the cell membrane and thussupporting the predicted topology with extracellular localization of thecarboxy-terminus.

Example 4 siRNA Induced Gene Silencing of GT468 Inhibits Motility,Migration and Invasion and Blocks Proliferation of Cancer Cells

To determine the biological significance of GT468 in tumor cells theeffects of its siRNA induced gene silencing on essential cell functionswere studied.

First, performance of breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and BT-549 intranswell migration assays was investigated. Baseline motility(chemokinesis) of both cell lines assessed by adding 5% FCS aschemoattractant to both the upper and lower chamber of the system wassubstantially inhibited by GT468 specific siRNA duplexes (FIG. 3A).Consequently, we also observed a marked reduction of the directionalchemotactic migratory capacity of the cells (FIG. 3B). Moreover,chemoinvasion activity of cells was profoundly affected by GT468 siRNAtreatment, as cells were not able to migrate along chemoattractantgradients by breaking through a barrier of Matrigel (FIG. 3C).

Next, it was observed that tumor cell proliferation as measured by BrdUincorporation into

DNA was reduced by 80-90% in both cell lines by GT468 specific siRNAduplexes (FIG. 4A). Cell cycle analysis revealed a distinct G1/S arrestin the cells transfected with GT468 siRNA as the underlying cause forthe proliferation block (FIG. 4B). Vitality of the cells was notaffected and staining for Annexin V gave no indications for apoptoticcell death (FIG. 4C).

Example 5 Treatment of cancer cells with anti-GT468 antibodies inhibitscell growth

We measured proliferation of MCF-7 and BT-549 cells incubated withrabbit anti-GT468/C-term and a non-reactive control antibody. Targetingof GT468 resulted in efficient inhibition of proliferation of both celllines in a concentration-dependent manner (FIG. 5).

Example 6 Downstream Effects of siRNA-Induced Silencing andAntibody-Induced Functional Antagonization of GT468

Proliferation and cell cycle progression in eukaryotic cells is governedby cyclins and cyclin dependent kinases (CDKs). Individual cyclins actat different phases of the cell cycle by stimulating the activities of aseries of CDKs. Restriction point control is mediated by cyclin D- andE-dependent kinase families (Morgan, D. O. (1997) Annu. Rev. Cell Dev.Biol. 13, 261-291; Sherr, C. J. (2000) Cancer Res. 60, 3689-3695). Toinvestigate whether GT468 silencing induces the observed cell cycledysregulation via alteration of cyclin expression, expression of cyclinsD1, D2, D3 and cyclin E in MCF-7 and BT-549 breast cancer cells treatedwith GT468 siRNA was determined.

Interestingly, a significant reduction of cyclin D1 transcripts asmeasured by real-time PCR (FIG. 6A) as well as cyclin D1 protein levelsin Western blot (FIG. 6B) occurred as a consequence of GT468 knockdown.No change in transcription levels was observed for the other cyclinsanalyzed.

Cyclin D1 is known to be a major regulator of the G1 to S progression ofthe cell cycle. Interestingly, in the tumorigenesis of sporadic breastcancer, overexpression of cyclin D1 is regarded as an early event(Caldon, C. E., Daly, R. J., Sutherland, R. L. & Musgrove, E. A. (2006)J. Cell Biochem. 97, 261-274; Sutherland, R. L. & Musgrove, E. A. (2004)J. Mammary. Gland. Biol. Neoplasia. 9, 95-104). D-type cyclins areunstable, and their induction, synthesis, and assembly with theircatalytic partners all depend on persistent mitogenic signaling. Thus,D-type cyclins act as growth factor sensors, forming active kinases inresponse to extracellular factors (Sutherland, R. L. & Musgrove, E. A.(2004) J. Mammary. Gland. Biol. Neoplasia. 9, 95-104; Sherr, C. J.(1993) Cell 73, 1059-1065). In breast cancer it has been shown, thatcyclin D1 expression is controlled via a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K)/AKT-dependent pathway (Sutherland, R. L. & Musgrove, E. A. (2004)J. Mammary. Gland. Biol. Neoplasia. 9, 95-104; D'Amico, M., Hulit, J.,Amanatullah, D. F., Zafonte, B. T., Albanese, C., Bouzahzah, B., Fu, M.,Augenlicht, L. H., Donehower, L. A., Takemaru, K. et al. (2000) J. Biol.Chem. 275, 32649-32657; Muise-Helmericks, R. C., Grimes, H. L.,Bellacosa, A., Malstrom, S. E., Tsichlis, P. N. & Rosen, N. (1998) J.Biol. Chem. 273, 29864-29872). AKT inactivates glycogen synthasekinase-3beta (GSK-3(3), thereby increasing cyclin D1 transcription aswell as its proteolytic turnover and its protein levels in the nucleus(Sutherland, R. L. & Musgrove, E. A. (2004) J. Mammary. Gland. Biol.Neoplasia. 9, 95-104, Diehl, J. A., Cheng, M., Roussel, M. F. & Sherr,C. J. (1998) Genes Dev. 12, 3499-3511; Radu, A., Neubauer, V., Akagi,T., Hanafusa, H. & Georgescu, M. M. (2003) Mol. Cell. Biol. 23,6139-6149). In addition, the AKT pathway is an important regulator ofcancer cell motility and migration (Sutherland, R. L. & Musgrove, E. A.(2004) J. Mammary. Gland. Biol. Neoplasia. 9, 95-104, Cantley, L. C.(2002) Science 296, 1655-1657; Luo, J., Manning, B. D. & Cantley, L. C.(2003) Cancer Cell 4, 257-262), two other cell functions in which GT468is apparently involved. This prompted us to analyze whether GT468 has animpact on the regulation of AKT kinase in MCF-7 and BT-549 cells.

Constitutive phosphorylation and hyperactivation of AKT consecutive toPI3K overactivation is frequently observed in tumor cells.Quantification of levels of Ser473 phosphorylation of AKT (pAKT)subsequent to silencing of GT468 by siRNA technology and its functionalantagonizing with antibody anti-GT468/C-term both resulted in a markedreduction of pAKT levels in particular in MCF-7 cells (FIG. 6C, D),suggesting that AKT kinase activation is involved in execution ofdown-stream effects of GT468. Interestingly, downregulation of pAKT wasless prominent in BT-549 cells, which lack PTEN and therefore have ahigher level of PI3K overactivation.

Example 7 GT468-Specific Monoclonal Antibodies

Balb/c or C57/BL6 mice were immunized with KLH-coupled peptides. 50 μgof peptides with 54.1 Montanide ISA 50V as adjuvant were injectedintraperitoneally (i.p.) on days 1, 15, 45, and 86. The presence ofantibodies directed against GT468 in sera of mice was monitored bypeptide-specific ELISA on days 24, 57, and 92. Mice with detectableimmune responses were boosted three days prior to splenectomy forgeneration of monoclonal antibodies.

Peptides having sequences according to SEQ ID NOs: 3-10 were used forgeneration of hybridomas producing monoclonal antibodies. For example,immunization using the peptide of SEQ ID NO: 3 gave hybridomas 4E9-1H9and 9B6-2A9, immunization using the peptide of SEQ ID NO: 4 gavehybridoma 59D6-2F2, and immunization using the peptide of SEQ ID NO: 6gave hybridomas 61C11-2B5 and 78H11-1H6.

A peptide-specific ELISA was performed to ensure specific binding of themonoclonal antibodies. Hybridoma supernatants were tested in 1:5 or 1:10dilution against the respective peptide used für immunization of mice.As control all hybridoma supernatants were tested against two irrelevantpeptides. All monoclonal antibodies reacted specifically only with therespective peptide used for immunization of mice (FIG. 7).

Specific binding of the monoclonal antibodies to full-length GT468protein was analyzed by immunofluorescence (IF) microscopy. 24 h aftertransfection of a GT468-eGFP fusion construct CHO cells were stainedwith hybridoma supernatants (1:5 dilution). Merging of the eGFP signaland the signal of secondary anti-mouse antibody (Alexa555) showedstaining only of the GT468-eGFP transfected cells whereasnon-transfected cells were negative (FIG. 8).

To analyze the impact of the monoclonal antibodies binding to GT468 onproliferation of cancer cells, endogenously GT468-expressing cancer celllines BT-549, Caov-3, EFO-21, MCF-7, and MDA-MB-231 were incubated withhybridoma supernatants (1:2 dilution) for 72 h. Proliferation of cellswas measured by BrdU incorporation into DNA. Whereas monoclonal antibody4E9 1H9 did not alter the proliferation of the cells at theconcentration used, antibodies 9B6 2A9 and 59D6 2F2 clearly reduced theproliferation of all cancer cell lines analyzed (FIG. 9).

Thus, it was shown that monoclonal antibodies can be produced whichselectively target GT468 expressed by cells. Furthermore, it was shownthat monoclonal antibodies to GT468 can be produced which inhibitproliferation of cancer cells expressing GT468.

Example 8 GT468-Specific Monoclonal Antibodies Obtained fromImmunization with GT468 pcDNA3.1 Plasmid Followed by Peptide/ProteinInjection

Balb/c or C57/BL6 mice were immunized with GT468 pcDNA3.1 plasmid withPEI Mannose as adjuvant intramuscularly (i.m.) on day 1 and 15.Thereafter, 50 μg of peptides with 50 μl Montanide ISA 50V as adjuvant(intraperitoneally) or 150 μg protein with incomplete Freund's adjuvant(IFA) (subcutaneously) were injected on days 30 and 45. The presence ofantibodies directed against GT468 in sera of mice was monitored bypeptide-specific ELISA or CrELISA. Mice with detectable immune responseswere boosted three days prior to splenectomy for generation ofmonoclonal antibodies.

Twofold intramuscular immunization using GT468 DNA followed by twofoldsubcutaneous administration of recombinant GT468 protein resulted inhybridomas 22-1A-1, 22-2A-1, 22-9B-1, 23-33A-1 and 23-19A-1. Twofoldintramuscular immunization using GT468 DNA followed by twofoldintraperitoneal administration of the peptide according to SEQ ID NO: 10resulted in hybridoma F11#33F7D12. Twofold intramuscular immunizationusing GT468 DNA followed by twofold intraperitoneal administration ofthe peptide according to SEQ ID NO: 3 resulted in hybridomas 4A12 2D41A10 and 4E9 1D12 2D4.

The following table lists the antibodies obtained and their isotypes.

TABLE 2 Monoclonal antibodies obtained by immunization with GT468 DNAfollowed by injection of peptide/protein Hybridoma Isotype 22-1A-1 IgG2b22-2A-1 IgG2b 22-9B-1 IgG2a 23-33A-1 IgG1 23-19A-1 IgG1 F11#33F7D12 IgG14A12 2D4 1A10 IgG1 4E9 1D12 2D4 IgG3

A crude-lysate (CrELISA) was performed to ensure specific binding of themonoclonal antibodies from hybridomas 22-1A-1, 22-2A-1, 22-9B-1,23-33A-1, and 23-19A-1. Hybridoma supernatants were tested against thelysate of E. coli transformed with GT468 pQE expression vector. Ascontrol, hybridoma supernatants were tested on lysate of E. colitransformed with insertless (mock) pQE plasmid. All monoclonalantibodies reacted specifically only with the specific GT468 lysate(FIG. 10A).

A peptide-specific ELISA was performed to ensure specific binding of themonoclonal antibodies from hybridomas F11#33F7D12, 4A12 2D4 1A10, and4E9 1D12 2D4. Hybridoma supernatants were tested against the respectivepeptide used for immunization of mice. As control, hybridomasupernatants were tested against an irrelevant peptide. The monoclonalantibodies reacted specifically only with the respective peptide usedfor immunization of mice (FIG. 10B).

Specific binding of the monoclonal antibodies to full-length GT468protein was analyzed by flow cytometric analysis as described herein.For flow cytometric analysis of monoclonal antibody 4E9 1D12 2D4transiently transfeted HEK cells with a transfection rate of approx. 40%were used. All hybridoma supernatants showed specific staining of GT468transfected cells, whereas no staining was observed on mock transfectedcells (FIG. 11).

Specific binding of the monoclonal antibodies to full-length GT468protein was analyzed by Western blot. All hybridoma supernatants showedspecific reactivity with lysates of HEK293 cells transfected with GT468pcDNA3.1 expression plasmid, whereas lysates of mock transfeted cellsshowed no signal (FIG. 12; The faint signal of hybridoma supernatant23-33A-1 in the mock lysate is believed to result from spillover of theHEK GT468 lysate).

A peptide ELISA was performed to identify epitopes in the GT468 proteinto which the monoclonal antibodies bind to. The complete GT468 proteinsequence was synthesized as set of 51 overlapping peptides (15mers) withan overlap of 11 aa. All hybridoma supernatants were tested in ELISA forspecific binding to these peptides. As control, an irrelevant peptidewas used. All supernatants showed specific binding to GT468 peptides.Hybridoma supernatants 22-1A-1, 23-33A-1, and 23-19A-1 each showedbinding to two overlapping peptides implying reactivity to a linearepitope of GT468. The binding patterns of 22-2A-1 and 22-9B-1 were morecomplex, implying reactivity to conformational epitopes of the GT468protein.

To analyze the impact of the monoclonal antibodies binding to GT468 onproliferation of cancer cells, endogenously GT468-expressing cancer celllines SK-BR-3 (4A12 2D4 1A10) or MCF-7 (4E9 1D12 2D4) were incubatedwith purified hybridoma supernatants for 72 h or 120 h at theconcentrations indicated in FIG. 14. Proliferation of cells was measuredby BrdU incorporation into DNA. Whereas the irrelevant controlmonoclonal antibody did not alter the proliferation of the cells,monoclonal antibodies 4A12 2D4 1A10 and 4E9 1D12 2D4 clearly reduced theproliferation of cells in a concentration dependent manner (FIG. 14).

Example 9 GT468-Specific Monoclonal Antibodies Obtained Using DifferentImmunization Strategies

Balb/c or C57/BL6 mice were immunized as shown in Table 3. Peptides: 50μg of peptides with 50 μl Montanide ISA 50V as adjuvant were injectedintraperitoneally (i.p.). DNA: 25 μg GT468 plasmid DNA with PEI-mannoseas adjuvant was injected intramuscularly (i.m.). Recombinant protein:150 μg GT468 protein with incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA) wasinjected subcutaneously (s.c.). Cells: 1−2×10⁷ HEK293 cells transfectedwith GT468 plasmid DNA were injected intraperitoneally (i.p.). Ingeneral, immunogen was given every second week. Mice with detectableimmune responses were boosted three days prior to splenectomy forgeneration of monoclonal antibodies.

TABLE 3 Immunization protocols Clone 1. Immunization 2. Immunization 3.Immunization 4. Immunization 42H11 1C11 2B2 KLH-coupled peptideKLH-coupled peptide KLH-coupled peptide KLH-coupled peptide (Seq_ID80)(Seq_ID80) (Seq_ID80) (Seq_ID80) 51G6 2H3 2B4 1E3 KLH-coupled peptideKLH-coupled peptide KLH-coupled peptide KLH-coupled peptide (Seq_ID80)(Seq_ID80) (Seq_ID80) (Seq_ID80) 78H11 1H6 KLH-coupled peptideKLH-coupled peptide KLH-coupled peptide KLH-coupled peptide (Seq_ID81)(Seq_ID81) (Seq_ID81) (Seq_ID81) 16-5B-1 GT468 DNA (Seq_ID84) + GT468DNA (Seq_ID84) + GT468 DNA (Seq_ID84) + recomb. GT468 protein CpG(Seq_ID83) CpG (Seq_ID83) CpG (Seq_ID83) (Seq_ID87) 20-11A-1 GT468 DNA(Seq_ID84) + GT468 DNA (Seq_ID84) + GT468 DNA (Seq_ID84) + recomb. GT468protein PEI-mannose PEI-mannose PEI-mannose (Seq_ID87) 22-1A-1 GT468 DNA(Seq_ID84) + GT468 DNA (Seq_ID84) + recomb. GT468 protein PEI-mannosePEI-mannose (Seq_ID87) 29-1A-2 GT468 DNA (Seq_ID84) + GT468 DNA(Seq_ID84) + GT468 DNA (Seq_ID84) + recomb. GT468 protein 29-8B-1PEI-mannose PEI-mannose PEI-mannose (Seq_ID87) 35-48B-1 GT468 DNA(Seq_ID84) + GT468 DNA (Seq_ID84) + GT468 DNA (Seq_ID84) + HEK293 cellstransfected with 35-50A-2a PEI-mannose PEI-mannose PEI-mannose GT468 DNA(Seq_ID84) 38-1A-1 GT468 DNA (Seq_ID84) + GT468 DNA (Seq_ID84) + GT468DNA (Seq_ID84) + HEK293 cells transfected with 38-10B-1 PEI-mannosePEI-mannose PEI-mannose GT468 DNA (Seq_ID86) 44-3A-2 GT468 DNA(Seq_ID84) + GT468 DNA (Seq_ID84) + GT468 DNA (Seq_ID84) + HEK293 cellstransfected with PEI-mannose PEI-mannose PEI-mannose GT468 DNA(Seq_ID85) 45-2A-1 GT468 DNA (Seq_ID84) + GT468 DNA (Seq_ID84) + GT468DNA (Seq_ID84) + HEK293 cells transfected with 45-8A-2 PEI-mannosePEI-mannose PEI-mannose GT468 DNA (Seq_ID85) 48-3B-1 GT468 DNA(Seq_ID84) + GT468 DNA (Seq_ID84) + GT468 DNA (Seq_ID84) + HEK293 cellstransfected with 48-4A-1 PEI-mannose PEI-mannose PEI-mannose GT468 DNA(Seq_ID85) 49-3A-1 GT468 DNA (Seq_ID84) + GT468 DNA (Seq_ID84) + GT468DNA (Seq_ID84) + GT468 DNA (Seq_ID85) + 49-8A-1 PEI-mannose PEI-mannosePEI-mannose PEI-mannose 51-1A-1 KLH-coupled peptide KLH-coupled peptide(Seq_ID82) (Seq_ID82) 53-13A-2 GT468 DNA (Seq_ID84) + GT468 DNA(Seq_ID84) + GT468 DNA (Seq_ID84) + GT468 DNA (Seq_ID85) + 53-29A-1PEI-mannose PEI-mannose PEI-mannose CpG (Seq_ID83) 54-4B-2 GT468 DNA(Seq_ID85) + GT468 DNA (Seq_ID85) + GT468 DNA (Seq_ID85) + HEK293 cellstransfected with CpG (Seq_ID83) CpG (Seq_ID83) CpG (Seq_ID83) GT468 DNA(Seq_ID85) 56-4A-2 GT468 DNA (Seq_ID85) + GT468 DNA (Seq_ID85) + GT468DNA (Seq_ID85) + HEK293 cells transfected with CpG (Seq_ID83) CpG(Seq_ID83) CpG (Seq_ID83) GT468 DNA (Seq_ID85) Clone 5. Immunization 6.Immunization Boost 42H11 1C11 2B2 Peptide (Seq_ID80) 51G6 2H3 2B4 1E3Peptide (Seq_ID80) 78H11 1H6 Peptide (Seq_ID81) 16-5B-1 recomb. GT468protein (Seq_ID87) 20-11A-1 recomb. GT468 protein recomb. GT468 protein(Seq_ID87) (Seq_ID87) 22-1A-1 recomb. GT468 protein (Seq_ID87) 29-1A-2recomb. GT468 protein HEK293 cells transfected 29-8B-1 (Seq_ID87) withGT468 DNA (Seq_ID84) 35-48B-1 recomb. GT468 protein Peptide mix35-50A-2a (Seq_ID87) (Seq_ID57-71) 38-1A-1 HEK293 cells transfected38-10B-1 with GT468 DNA (Seq_ID85) 44-3A-2 HEK293 cells transfected withGT468 DNA (Seq_ID85) 45-2A-1 HEK293 cells transfected 45-8A-2 with GT468DNA (Seq_ID85) 48-3B-1 HEK293 cells transfected 48-4A-1 with GT468 DNA(Seq_ID85) 49-3A-1 HEK293 cells transfected HEK293 cells transfected49-8A-1 with GT468 DNA with GT468 DNA (Seq_ID85) (Seq_ID85) 51-1A-1HEK293 cells transfected with GT468 DNA (Seq_ID85) 53-13A-2 GT468 DNA(Seq_ID85) + GT468 DNA (Seq_ID85) + HEK293 cells transfected 53-29A-1CpG (Seq_ID83) CpG (Seq_ID83) with GT468 DNA (Seq_ID85) 54-4B-2 HEK293cells transfected with GT468 DNA (Seq_ID85) 56-4A-2 HEK293 cellstransfected with GT468 DNA (Seq_ID85)

The following table lists the antibodies obtained and their isotypes.

TABLE 4 Monoclonal antibodies obtained using different immunizationstrategies Hybridoma Isotype 42H11 1C11 2B2 IgG2b 51G6 2H3 2B4 IgG116-5B-1 IgG2a 20-11A-1 IgG2a 29-1A-2 IgG1 29-8B-1 IgG1 35-48B-1 IgG335-50A-2a IgG2a 38-10B-1 IgG2b 38-1A-1 IgG2b 44-3A-2 IgG2a 45-2A-1 IgG2b45-8A-2 IgG1 48-3B-1 IgG3 48-4A-1 IgG3 49-3A-1 IgG2a 49-8A-1 IgG151-1A-1 IgG2a 53-13A-2 IgG2a 53-29A1 IgG2b 54-4B-2 IgG2b 56-4A-2 IgG2a

These antibodies and two further antibodies 78H11 1H6 (isotype: IgG1)and 22-1A-1 (isotype: IgG2b) obtained in examples 7 and 8, respectively,were used for further testing.

A peptide-specific ELISA using the set of 51 overlapping peptides(15mers) with an overlap of 11aa shown in FIGS. 13 and 25 was performedto identify the epitopes of the GT468 protein the monoclonal antibodiesare binding to. Purified hybridoma supernatants each were tested in theELISA for specific binding to all peptides. As control an irrelevantpeptide was used.

As indicated in Table 5, 15 supernatants showed specific binding toGT468 peptides. Out of these 15 supernatants, 13 supernatants bound to 1peptide, or to 2 or 3 adjacent peptides suggesting the recognition of alinear epitope of GT468, and 2 supernatants bound to peptides which, atleast partially, are non-adjacent suggesting a linear/conformationaldefinition of the epitope. 9 supernatants did not show specific bindingto GT468 peptides in the peptide-specific ELISA, however, showed bindingin the FACS or in the IF, suggesting reactivity to non-linearconformational epitopes of GT468.

TABLE 5 Testing of monoclonal antibodies in a peptide-specific ELISAHybridoma Reactivity (peptide) 42H11 1C11 2B2 47, 48 51G6 2H3 2B4 47, 4878H11 1H6 50, 51 16-5B-1 47, 48 20-11A-1 47, 48 22-1A-1 50, 51 29-1A-227, 29, 30 29-8B-1 49-51 35-48B-1 13 35-50A-2a negative 38-10B-1negative 38-1A-1 negative 44-3A-2 31, 32 45-2A-1 negative 45-8A-2negative 48-3B-1 negative 48-4A-1 negative 49-3A-1 29-31 49-8A-1 37, 3851-1A-1 36, 37 53-13A-2 33, 34 53-29A-1 negative 54-4B-2 34, 37 56-4A-2negative

Specific binding of monoclonal antibodies from the hybridomas to GT468protein was analyzed by flow cytometric analysis. Native, non-fixedHEK293 cells stably transfected with pDisplay-GT468aa116-212 or mocktransfected cells were stained with FPLC-purified hybridoma supernatants(5 μg/ml). In the plasmid pDisplay-GT468aa116-212 amino acids 116-212 ofGT468 are C-terminally fused to a PDGF receptor transmembrane domain.This construct ensures stable expression of GT468 aa116-212 on theplasma membrane of cells. Cells were stained with the supernatants in anunfixed state which detects binding to GT468 in its native conformation.Hybridoma supernatants showed specific staining of GT468 transfectedcells, whereas no staining was observed on mock transfected cells (FIG.15).

Specific binding of the monoclonal antibodies from the hybridomas tounfixed tumor cells endogenously expressing GT468 was analyzed by flowcytometric analysis. MCF-7, MDA-MB-468, and SK-BR-3 breast cancer cellswere used as tumor cells endogenously expressing GT468 and NUG-C4gastric cancer cells not expressing GT468 were used as negative control.Native, non-fixed cells were stained with FPLC-purified hybridomasupernatants (5 μg/ml). Hybridoma supernatants showed specific stainingof GT468 expressing cancer cells to varying extents. While for some ofthe supernatants the cell populations are stained significantly (42H111C11 2B2, 22-1A-1, 35-50A-2a, 54-4B-2), only sub-populations (about 5%of the cells) are positive for other supernatants (FIG. 16). Thisindicates binding to strongly expressing subpopulations. The resultsdemonstrate that the antibodies are capable of binding to GT468expressing tumor cells.

Specific binding of the monoclonal antibodies in hybridoma supernatantsto full-length GT468 protein was analyzed by Western blot. FPLC-purifiedhybridoma supernatants (5 μg/ml) showed specific reactivity with lysatesof HEK293 cells transfected with a GT468 expression plasmid, whereaslysates of mock transfected cells showed no signal demonstrating thatthe binding to GT468 is specific (FIG. 17, 23).

Proliferation inhibitory activity of monoclonal antibodies fromhybridoma supernatants was analyzed in proliferation assays (FIG. 18,22). Breast cancer cells endogenously expressing GT468 (SK-BR-3,MDA-MB-468, MCF-7) and GT468 negative MelHo melanoma cells or NUGC4gastric cancer cells were seeded in a 96-well plate (5000 cells/well)and incubated with FPLC-purified hybridoma supernatants at the indicatedconcentrations. After 72 h proliferation of cells was measured by BrdUincorporation into DNA. All values are normalized to control cells notincubated with hybridoma supernatant. No proliferation inhibition wasobserved on MelHo or NUGC4 control cells. Hybridoma supernatants showedspecific proliferation inhibitory activity on GT468 expressing breastcancer cells in a concentration dependent manner to varying extents.Some of the antibodies (35-48B-1, 48-3B-1, 51-1A-1, 56-4A-2) showedsignificant effects on all of the GT468 positive cell lines tested.

A clonogenic assay was performed to analyze the inhibitory activity ofmonoclonal antibodies from hybridomas on colony formation of SK-BR-3cells endogenously expressing GT468. Cells were seeded in a 48 wellplate (3000 cells/well) and incubated with FPLC-purified hybridomasupernatants (45 mg/ml). Colonies grown over a time period of 14 dayswere fixed with glutaraldehyde and stained with crystal violet forvisual evaluation. Incubating the cells with antibody reduced orinhibited colony formation (FIG. 19). Colony formation is of importancewith respect to the formation of metastases if individual tumor cellscolonize organs. The inhibitory activity of the antibodies indicatestheir potential in suppressing the formation of metastases.

Example 10 Treatment with Anti-GT468 Monoclonal Antibodies AttenuatesXenogaft Tumor Growth in Nude Mice

GT468 positive BEWO placental choriocarcinoma cells were injected s.c.into nude mice and the animals treated with purified anti-GT468monoclonal antibodies. FIG. 24 demonstrates that treatment withanti-GT468 monoclonal antibodies attenuates BEWO placentalchoriocarcinoma xenogaft tumor growth in nude mice.

Example 11 Treatment with Anti-GT468 Monoclonal Antibodies ReducesMetastatic Tumor Load in the Lungs of Nude Mice

MCF-7 cells were injected i.v. into athymic nude mice pre-treated withs.c. implantation of a 17β-estradiol time-release pellet and the animalstreated with purified anti-GT468 monoclonal antibodies. Real-time PCRused for quantification of the tumor load in the lungs of the athymicmice five weeks after injection of the cells demonstrated a significantreduction of the metastatic tumor load in lungs of mice treated withanti-GT468 monoclonal antibodies (FIG. 26).

1. An antibody which has the ability of binding to GT468 and has one ormore of the following activities: (i) killing of tumor cells expressingGT468, (ii) inhibition of proliferation of tumor cells expressing GT468,(iii) inhibition of colony formation of tumor cells expressing GT468,and (iv) inhibition of metastasis of tumor cells expressing GT468. 2.The antibody of claim 1 wherein said one or more activities are inducedby binding of said antibody to the extracellular domain of GT468expressed by said cells.
 3. The antibody of claim 1 wherein said tumorcells expressing GT468 are cancer cells.
 4. The antibody of claim 3wherein the cancer cells are from a cancer selected from the groupconsisting of breast cancer, lung cancer, gastric cancer, ovariancancer, hepatocellular cancer, colon cancer, pancreatic cancer,esophageal cancer, head & neck cancer, kidney cancer, in particularrenal cell carcinoma, prostate cancer, liver cancer, melanoma, sarcoma,myeloma, neuroblastoma, placental choriocarcinoma, cervical cancer, andthyroid cancer, and the metastatic forms thereof, and metastatic cancerin the lung.
 5. The antibody of claim 1 which is a monoclonal, chimeric,human or humanized antibody, or a fragment of an antibody.
 6. Theantibody of claim 1 wherein GT468 has the amino acid sequence accordingto SEQ ID NO:
 2. 7. The antibody of claim 1 wherein the antibody bindsspecifically to GT468.
 8. The antibody of claim 1 which binds to nativeepitopes of GT468.
 9. The antibody of claim 1 which is obtainable by amethod comprising the step of immunizing an animal with a protein orpeptide having an amino acid sequence selected from the group consistingof SEQ ID NO: 2-10 and 35-82, or an immunogenic fragment or derivativethereof, or a nucleic acid or host cell expressing said protein orpeptide, or immunogenic fragment or derivative thereof.
 10. An antibodyselected from the group consisting of: (i) an antibody produced by orobtainable from a clone deposited under the accession no. DSM ACC2822(4E9-1H9), DSM ACC2826 (9B6-2A9), DSM ACC2824 (59D6-2F2), DSM ACC2825(61C11-2B5), DSM ACC2823 (78H11-1H6), DSM ACC2895 (22-1A-1), DSM ACC2893(22-2A-1), DSM ACC2896 (22-9B-1), DSM ACC2897 (23-33A-1), DSM ACC2891(23-19A-1), DSM ACC2894 (F11#33F7D12), DSM ACC2892 (4A12 2D4 1A10), DSMACC2898 (4E9 1D12 2D4), DSM ACC2961 (42H11 ICM 2B2), DSM ACC2962 (51G62H3 2B4), DSM ACC2943 (16-5B-1), DSM ACC2956 (20-11A-1), DSM ACC2947(29-1A-2), DSM ACC2964 (29-8B-1), DSM ACC2959 (35-48B-1), DSM ACC2963(35-50A-2a), DSM ACC2957 (38-10B-1), DSM ACC2958 (38-1A-1), DSM ACC2948(44-3A-2), DSM ACC2949 (45-2A-1), DSM ACC2950 (45-8A-2), DSM ACC2951(48-3B-1), DSM ACC2952 (48-4A-1), DSM ACC2946 (49-3A-1), DSM ACC2945(49-8A-1), DSM ACC2944 (51-1A-1), DSM ACC2953 (53-13A-2), DSM ACC2955(53-29A-1), DSM ACC2960 (54-4B-2), DSM ACC2954 (56-4A-2), or DSM ACC3001(62-9B-1), (ii) an antibody which is a chimerized or humanized form ofthe antibody under (i), (iii) an antibody which has the specificity ofthe antibody under (i), and (iv) an antibody comprising the antigenbinding portion or antigen binding site of the antibody under (i). 11.The antibody of claim 10, wherein the antigen binding portion or antigenbinding site of the antibody under (i) comprises the variable region ofthe antibody under (i).
 12. A hybridoma capable of producing theantibody of claim
 1. 13. A hybridoma deposited under the accession no.DSM ACC2822 (4E9-1H9), DSM ACC2826 (9B6-2A9), DSM ACC2824 (59D6-2F2),DSM ACC2825 (61C11-2B5), DSM ACC2823 (78H11-1H6), DSM ACC2895 (22-1A-1),DSM ACC2893 (22-2A-1), DSM ACC2896 (22-9B-1), DSM ACC2897 (23-33A-1),DSM ACC2891 (23-19A-1), DSM ACC2894 (F11#33F7D12), DSM ACC2892 (4A12 2D41A10), DSM ACC2898 (4E9 1D12 2D4), DSM ACC2961 (42H11 1C11 2B2), DSMACC2962 (51G6 2H3 2B4), DSM ACC2943 (16-5B-1), DSM ACC2956 (20-11A-1),DSM ACC2947 (29-1A-2), DSM ACC2964 (29-8B-1), DSM ACC2959 (35-48B-1),DSM ACC2963 (35-50A-2a), DSM ACC2957 (38-10B-1), DSM ACC2958 (38-1A-1),DSM ACC2948 (44-3A-2), DSM ACC2949 (45-2A-1), DSM ACC2950 (45-8A-2), DSMACC2951 (48-3B-1), DSM ACC2952 (48-4A-1), DSM ACC2946 (49-3A-1), DSMACC2945 (49-8A-1), DSM ACC2944 (51-1A-1), DSM ACC2953 (53-13A-2), DSMACC2955 (53-29A-1), DSM ACC2960 (54-4B-2), DSM ACC2954 (56-4A-2), or DSMACC3001 (62-9B-1).
 14. A conjugate comprising an antibody of claim 1coupled to a therapeutic agent.
 15. The conjugate of claim 14 whereinthe therapeutic agent is a toxin, a radioisotope, a drug or a cytotoxicagent.
 16. A pharmaceutical composition comprising an antibody of claim1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
 17. A method of inhibitinggrowth, killing, and/or inhibiting metastatic spread of a cellexpressing GT468 and/or being characterized by association of GT468 withits cell surface, comprising contacting the cell with an antibody ofclaim
 1. 18-19. (canceled)
 20. A method of treating or preventing adisease or disorder involving cells expressing GT468 and/or beingcharacterized by association of GT468 with their cell surface in asubject, comprising administering to said subject an antibody ofclaim
 1. 21. The method of claim 20 wherein the disease or disorder is atumor-related disease.
 22. The method of claim 21 wherein thetumor-related disease is cancer.
 23. The method of claim 22 wherein thecancer is selected from the group consisting of breast cancer, lungcancer, gastric cancer, ovarian cancer, hepatocellular cancer, coloncancer, pancreatic cancer, esophageal cancer, head & neck cancer, kidneycancer, in particular renal cell carcinoma, prostate cancer, livercancer, melanoma, sarcoma, myeloma, neuroblastoma, placentalchoriocarcinoma, cervical cancer, and thyroid cancer, and the metastaticforms thereof, and metastatic cancer in the lung.
 24. A pharmaceuticalcomposition comprising a conjugate of claim 14 and a pharmaceuticallyacceptable carrier.
 25. A method of inhibiting growth, killing, and/orinhibiting metastatic spread of a cell expressing GT468 and/or beingcharacterized by association of GT468 with its cell surface, comprisingcontacting the cell with a conjugate of claim
 14. 26. A method oftreating or preventing a disease or disorder involving cells expressingGT468 and/or being characterized by association of GT468 with their cellsurface in a subject, comprising administering to said subject aconjugate of claim
 14. 27. A method of treating or preventing a diseaseor disorder involving cells expressing GT468 and/or being characterizedby association of GT468 with their cell surface in a subject, comprisingadministering to said subject a pharmaceutical composition of claim 16.